TU Delft researchers purify isopropanol and acetone from fermenting waste gases

In the Netherlands, in a major stride towards sustainable industrial fermentation, a team of researchers at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in The Netherlands, has unveiled pioneering advancements in the purification of isopropanol and acetone from the fermentation of waste gases. The study, published in the Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, introduces novel processes that promise to elevate the efficiency and viability of large-scale production.

A promising and more sustainable manufacturing process involves the recycling of industrial waste gases and syngas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen which can be produced from bio-waste) using engineered bacteria. Notably, LanzaTech, a US based biotechnology company which is not connected to TU Delft’s research, are currently piloting this syngas fermentation method to produce isopropanol and acetone.

A potential barrier to scale-up of this technology comes at the product purification stage; limitations to the fermentation method mean product concentrations are low, resulting in a very dilute fermentation broth.

The novel isopropanol and acetone recovery processes presented in this research mark a significant step forward in sustainable industrial fermentation. The team are now turning their attention to the purification of other high-value chemicals.