초록
<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Glycerol waste from the biodiesel production can be used as a carbon source in the production of 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) through microbial fermentation. However, downstream processing is a major bottleneck that restricts its biological production. Here, we investigated an environmentally-friendly method to enzymatically separate 1,3-PD. The transformation of 1,3-PD to an ester was achieved by exploiting the esterification reaction with fatty acids under lipase catalysis. The reaction efficiency was optimized using different poly-alcohols that were existed in the fermentation broth reacted with a fatty acid. Whereas the 1,3-PD conversion reached 62%, only a 0.06% and 0.08% conversion was reached for 2,3-butanediol and glycerol, illustrating the former’s more efficient separation. The recovery efficiency of 1,3-PD was 96%. Finally, 1,3-PD was obtained by lipase-directed ester hydrolysis. Taken together, the bio-catalyzed separation process presented here is a novel and promising method for recovering 1,3-PD.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> An entire enzymatic route for separating 1,3-propanediol was established. </LI> <LI> Method for separating 1,3-propanediol is simple, efficient, and environmentally-friendly. </LI> <LI> 1,3-Propanediol recovery efficiency reached 96%. </LI> <LI> 1,3-Propanediol can be efficiently separated with 2,3-butanediol and glycerol using lipase. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>