Effects of H2O2 on Oxygen Supply in the Process of DCA Fermentation

Long chain dicarboxylic acid (DCA) produced by Candida tropicalis is produced in an aerobic viscous fermentation system. The gas-liquid transport resistance can be overcome and the oxygen supply can be increased by adding hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to the fermentation system. This paper shows that H2O2 can not only enhance the oxygen supply but also change the metabolism by inducing cytochrome P450, the key enzyme of α, ω-oxidation. When C. tropicalis was cultivated in a 3-liter bioreactor using the combination of aeration and hydrogen peroxide feeding, the DCA yield increased about 10% except at the beginning of H2O2 feeding. The experiments showed that the maximum activities of P450 could be induced at 2 mmol*L-1 H2O2. By adding H2O2, the DCA yield in a 22-liter bioreactor was increased 25.3% to 153.9 g/L.