Automatic on-line fermentation headspace gas analysis using a computer-controlled gas chromatograph

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A computer-controlled headspace gas chromatograph was used to monitor the progress of ethanol production from both aerobic batch and anaerobic continuous fermentations. Using an automatic, electropneumatic sampling system, aliquots of fermentation headspace gas were injected directly onto the column for quantitative ethanol determinations every six minutes. A sample volume of 1 mL permitted liquid ethanol concentrations from 2 to 100 g/L to be measured with better than 3% standard deviation on five repeated injections. Provided fermenter liquid temperature and ionic strength were maintained constant, the signal-tohyphen;concentration ratio remained linear to 80 g/L ethanol. This quantitative gas chromatographic (GC) method is suitable for accurate, precise analysis of multiple solvent fermentations, and is limited only by the elution rate and separating capacity of the GC column.