Patent GB-1059887-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the cultivation of micro-organisms
Inventor: FILOSA JEAN ANTOINE
IPC: C12N1/26
Filed: 1962-12-31
Abstract: In cultivating a micro-organism capable of growing on a feedstock consisting of or containing straight-chain hydrocarbons, the microorganism is cultivated in the presence of the feedstock, an aqueous nutrient medium and a gas containing free oxygen, and the pH is maintained within a desired range by the introduction, continuously or intermittently, of ammonia.  The feedstock may contain at least one straight-chain hydrocarbon having at least 10 carbon atoms per molecule or be derived from a petroleum fraction. The ammonia, as liquid, gas or aqueous solution, may maintain the pH within \sR0.1 of a selected value in the range 3-6 for the cultivation of yeasts or 6.5-8 for bacteria.  The following yeasts are particularly mentioned: Candida lipolytica, Candida pulcherrima, Candida utilis, Candida tropicalis, Torulopsis collisculosa, Hansenula anomala, Oidium lactis, Neurospora sitophila, and Mycoderma cancoillote.  Other micro-organisms particularly preferred are: Penicillium expansum, Bacillus megatherium, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeroginosa, though other strains of moulds and bacteria are mentioned.  According to an example, 3 litres of a continuous yeast culture in a 5 litre fermenter were supplied at a rate of 300 ml./hr. with a medium containing 10 parts by weight of gas-oil emulsified in 90 parts by weight of an aqueous nutrient medium (specified).  The temperature was kept at 30 DEG  C.; the aeration and agitation were such as to supply 3 milli-moles of oxygen per litre of medium per minute.  The medium contained initially 2 grams/litre of diammonium phosphate, giving 0.42 grams/litre of nitrogen as ammonia.  The pH was held automatically at 4\sR0.1 by the addition of 10 N ammonia.  The cellular density settled at the end of some days to 10\sR1 gram/litre.  The mineral medium at the outlet contained 0.42\sR0.04 grams/litre of ammonia nitrogen.ALSO:In cultivating a micro-organism capable of growing on a feedstock consisting of or containing straight chain hydrocarbons, the micro-organism is cultivated in the presence of the feedstock, an aqueous nutrient medium and a gas containing free oxygen, and the pH is maintained within a desired range by the introduction, continuously or intermittently, of ammonia.  The feedstock may contain at least one straight chain hydrocarbon having at least 10 carbon atoms per molecule or be derived from a petroleum fraction. The ammonia, as liquid, gas or aqueous solution, may maintain the pH within \sB 0.1 of a selected value in the range 3-6 for the cultivation of yeasts or 6.5-8 for bacteria.  The following yeasts are particularly mentioned: Candida lipolytica, Candida pulcherrima, Candida utilis, Candida tropicalis, Torulopsis collisculosa, Hensenula anomala, Oidium lactis, Neurospora sitophila, and Mycoderma cancoillote.  Other micro-organisms particularly preferred are: Penicillium expansum, Bacillus megatherium, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeroginosa, through other strains of moulds and bacteria are mentioned.  According to an example, 3 litres of a continuous yeast culture in a 5 litre fermenter were supplied at a rate of 300 ml./hr. with a medium containing 10 parts by weight of gas-oil emulsified in 90 parts by weight of an aqueous nutrient medium (specified).  The temperature was kept at 30 DEG C.; the aeration and agitation were such as to supply 3 millimoles of oxygen per litre of medium per minute.  The medium contained initially 2 grams/litre of diammonium phosphate, giving 0.42 grams/litre of nitrogen as ammonia. The pH was held automatically at 4 \sB 0.1 by the addition of 10 N ammonia.  The cellular density settled at the end of some days to 10 \sB 1 gram/litre.  The mineral medium at the outlet contained 0.42 \sB 0.04 grams/litre of ammonia nitrogen.