Effect of physical and physicochemical pretreatments of wood for SCP production with Chaetomium cellulolyticum

Abstract

SummaryRelatively poor SCP production (4.2 mg/L h) was obtained using C. cellulolyticum and ground aspen wood treated with steam at atmospheric pressure for 1 h. The percentage of protein in the final product increased to 21.4% at a specific growth rate of 0.15 h-' when the wood sample was treated with steam at a higher pressure (280 psig for 4 min) according to the "Stake" process. Alkali treatment (10% and 15% wiw at 121°C for 30 min), known to solubilize hemicelluloses and some of the lignin, gave intermediate results. More complete delignification of wood using NaCIO2 increased the protein composition in the final product to 37.9%, at a specific growth rate of 0.19 h-'. Cellulose utilization was lowest (12.4%) in the case of the wood treated with steam at atmospheric pressure; it was higher at 75.3 and 78.5% for wood treated with NaOH at 10 and 15% wiw levels, respectively. The cellulose utilization was highest (90%) for wood treated with NaC102.

The growth of Chaetomium cellulolyticum on corn stover pretreated with n-butylamine

“…The culture medium was composed of 3.97 g of the pretreated solid, 43.2 mL of the combined, evaporated liquids, 18.2 mL of nutrient medium (CG 3 x 5) (Chahal et al, 1981), 16.8 mL of distilled water and i0 mL of preculture broth of C. cellulolyticum in one flask.…”