Biomedical subjects

Kent D Rausch

Publications and source records attributed to Kent D Rausch.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Microbial diversity and dynamics in multi- and single-compartment anaerobic bioreactors processing sulfate-rich waste streams.

We investigated bacterial and archaeal community structures and population dynamics in two anaerobic bioreactors processing a carbohydrate- and sulfate-rich synthetic wastewater. A five-compartment anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR) was designed to promote biomass and substrate staging, which partially separates the processes of methanogenesis and sulfidogenesis in the middle and outer compartment(s) respectively. The second reactor was a conventional, single-compartment upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. Both reactors, which were seeded with the same inoculum, performed well when the influent chemical oxygen demand (COD)/SO(4) (2-) mass ratio was 24.4. The AMBR performed worse than the UASB reactor when the influent COD/SO(4) (2-) mass ratio was decreased to 5.0 by raising the sulfate load. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses of bacterial 16S rRNA genes showed that the increase in sulfate load had a greater impact on bacterial diversity and community structure for the five AMBR compartments than for the UASB reactor. Moreover, bacterial community profiles across AMBR compartments became more similar through time, indicating a converging, rather than a staged community. While similar populations were abundant in both reactors at the beginning of the experiment, fermenting bacteria (clostridia, streptococci), and sulfate-reducing bacteria became more abundant in the AMBR, after shifting to a higher sulfate load, while a novel Thermotogales-like population eventually became predominant in the UASB reactor. A similar shift in the community structure of the hydrogenotrophic methanogens in the AMBR occurred: representatives of the Methanobacteriaceae out-competed the Methanospirillaceae after increasing the sulfate load in the AMBR, while the archaeal community structure was maintained in the UASB.

Archaea↗

PubMed2006

Improvement in fermentation characteristics of degermed ground corn by lipid supplementation.

With rapid growth of fuel ethanol industry, and concomitant increase in distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), new corn fractionation technologies that reduce DDGS volume and produce higher value coproducts in dry grind ethanol process have been developed. One of the technologies, a dry degerm, defiber (3D) process (similar to conventional corn dry milling) was used to separate germ and pericarp fiber prior to the endosperm fraction fermentation. Recovery of germ and pericarp fiber in the 3D process results in removal of lipids from the fermentation medium. Biosynthesis of lipids, which is important for cell growth and viability, cannot proceed in strictly anaerobic fermentations. The effects of ten different lipid supplements on improving fermentation rates and ethanol yields were studied and compared to the conventional dry grind process. Endosperm fraction (from the 3D process) was mixed with water and liquefied by enzymatic hydrolysis and was fermented using simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. The highest ethanol concentration (13.7% v/v) was achieved with conventional dry grind process. Control treatment (endosperm fraction from 3D process without lipid supplementation) produced the lowest ethanol concentration (11.2% v/v). Three lipid treatments (fatty acid ester, alkylphenol, and ethoxylated sorbitan ester 1836) were most effective in improving final ethanol concentrations. Fatty acid ester treatment produced the highest final ethanol concentration (12.3% v/v) among all lipid supplementation treatments. Mean final ethanol concentrations of alkylphenol and ethoxylated sorbitan ester 1836 supplemented samples were 12.3 and 12.0% v/v, respectively.

Culture Media↗

PubMed2006

The future of coproducts from corn processing.

Increased demand for ethanol as a fuel additive has resulted in dramatic growth in ethanol production. Ethanol is produced from corn by either wet milling or dry-grind processing. In wet milling, the corn kernel is fractionated into different components, resulting in several coproducts. Wet-milling plants are capital intensive because of equipment requirements; they produce large volumes of ethanol and are corporate owned. In dry-grind processing, the corn kernel is not fractionated and only one coproduct, distillers' dried grains with solubles (DDGS), is generated. Dry-grind plants require less equipment and capital than wet mills. They generate smaller volumes of ethanol, are producer owned, and add direct benefits to rural economies. Most of the increase in ethanol production during the past decade is attributed to growth in the dry-grind industry. The marketing of coproducts provides income to offset processing costs. For dry-grind plants, this is especially important, because only one coproduct is available. Several issues could affect DDGS marketing. The increasing volume of DDGS accompanying ethanol production could reduce market value; high phosphorous content could limit the use of DDGS, because of animal waste disposal issues. Water removal is a costly processing step and affects the economics of ethanol processing. Technologies to remove germ and fiber from DDGS could produce a new coproduct suitable for feeding to nonruminants; this would expand the markets for DDGS. Reducing phosphorus in DDGS would sustain markets for conventional DDGS. The development of more efficient methods of water removal would increase the efficiency of ethanol processing and reduce the costs of processing. New technologies could contribute to greater stability of dry-grind plants.

Animal Feed↗

PubMed2006

Element concentrations of dry-grind corn-processing streams.

The dry-grind corn process is one of two technologies used to convert corn into ethanol. In this process, all kernel components are processed through several sequential steps, including fermentation. Only one coproduct (distillers' dried grains with solubles [DDGS]) is available for marketing. DDGS provide income to offset costs of processing; issues that affect marketing have implications in the economic viability of dry-grind plants. Two issues relate to elements in DDGS: high concentrations and excessive variation. Data on element concentrations in dry-grind processing streams could be helpful in addressing these concerns. The objective of this study was to determine element concentrations in primary process streams from dry-grind plants. Samples of corn, ground corn, beer, wet grains, syrup, and DDGS were obtained from nine dry-grind plants, and element concentrations were determined. The concentrations of most elements in corn were not different among processing plants and were similar to published data. However, for the processing streams, there were differences in several element concentrations among processing plants. The concentrations of most elements in beer were about three times those of corn, due to the disappearance of starch during fermentation. Syrup had the highest element concentrations. Variations in element contents of DDGS and parent streams were due to processing conditions and not corn. Appropriate processing of thin stillage (the parent stream of syrup) could reduce the element content of DDGS.

Beer↗

PubMed2005

Membrane separation of solids from corn processing streams.

Corn processing streams are characterized by high water content. Removal of water and recovery of solids are major economic and logistical challenges. New technologies are needed to modify processing streams and to reduce variability and improve quality of coproducts. The objective was to determine the effectiveness of microfiltration and ultrafiltration systems in altering water, solids (protein) and ash contents of corn processing streams. Corn was either steeped with SO(2) (STW) or soaked (SKW) in water; STW contained more solids than SKW. Ultrafiltration of STW and SKW had little effect on water removal or solids recovery. Corn was processed by a conventional wet milling process and a wet milling process that used enzymes to eliminate use of SO(2) steeping. Protein streams from the conventional process (CG) and the enzymatic process (EG) were processed by microfiltration. Permeate streams from EG and CG had higher total solids and ash concentrations than retentate streams; much of the ash was recovered in permeate (67% and 83%, respectively). For CG, proteins were largely recovered in retentate, whereas for EG, proteins were recovered in permeate. SDS-PAGE data indicated a decrease in size of proteins in the EG process stream. Permeate streams from microfiltration were subject to ultrafiltration; there was little effect on solids and nutrient separations.

Chemical Fractionation↗