Drug biotransformation process favored by fungal biofilms formed on a proposed fixed bed‐airlift hybrid reactor

Abstract

AbstractBACKGROUNDFungi have the great ability to biotransform drugs, making it possible to direct their application to obtaining new molecules. Our group developed a hybrid fixed bed‐airlift reactor (FB‐ALR) model that allows the formation of Cunninghamella elegans (or other fungi) biofilm and biotransformation of diclofenac (DCF).RESULTSHydrodynamic and rheological parameters [(mixing time (tM), linear gas velocity (UG), liquid linear velocity (UL), gas hold‐up (εG), viscosity (v)], mass transfer (kLa) and biomass formation were superior than those obtained in conventional airlift reactor (ALR) and bubble column reactor. The higher performance of FB‐ALR is a result of the improvement in the oxygenation process, in addition to the reticulate baffle used by the fungus as a support for adhesion and proliferation as biofilm. The formation of fungal biofilms, in addition to reducing the viscosity of the system, favored the retention of DCF, thus facilitating the processes of biotransformation. High‐performance liquid chromatography analyses confirmed such theory.CONCLUSIONFungal biofilms present considerable biotransforming activity, making FB‐ALR the highest yielding biotransformation system amongst those tested herein. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI)