Pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans cells immobilized on ECTEOLA-cellulose

Abstract

Cells of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans ATCC 42023 were immobilized by adsorption on the ion-exchange resin ECTEOLA (epichlorohydrin triethanolamine)-cellulose and the immobilized cells were examined for their ability to produce the polysaccharide pullulan using batch fermentation. It was found that the cells immobilized on the ECTEOLA-cellulose at pH 2.0 produced higher pullulan levels than those cells immobilized at pH 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 and 7.0 after 72 h at 30°C. The pH 2.0-immobilized cells were capable of producing pullulan for 2 cycles of 168 h. Pullulan production by the immobilized cells decreased slightly during the second production cycle but the difference in production was not statistically significant after 168 h.