Kinetic studies of penicillin production during batch and repeated batch in fluidized bed bioreactor with agar immobilized P. chrysogenum cells

The fermentation kinetics of penicillin production by Penicillium chrysogenum was carried out at 27°C and pH 6.0. Batch and repeated batch fermentations using agar-immobilized cells in fluidized bed bioreactor were studied for their potential application in production of penicillin from lactose, a fermentable sugar. Kinetics of immobilized cell fermentation, showed the penicillin yield of ~0.0155 g/l, with highest penicillin concentration of ~57.09 mg/l and the high reactor productivity of ~23.8 mg/l h. Repeated batch fermentation experiments showed that the immobilized biocatalysts could be recycled effectively for 5 cycles. Penicillin yield was 4-5-fold greater by this method of immobilization, with high productivity as compared to free cells and other immobilization methods.