González-Pajuelo, M.Andrade, J. C.Vasconcelos, I.2011-10-222011-10-222005-07"Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology" . ISSN 1367-5435. 32:9 (2005) 391-396http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/6755The effects of dilution rate and substrate feed concentration on continuous glycerol fermentation by Clostridium butyricum VPI 3266, a natural 1,3-propanediol producer, were evaluated in this work. A high and constant 1,3-propanediol yield (around 0.65 mol/mol), close to the theoretical value, was obtained irrespective of substrate feed concentration or dilution rate. Improvement of 1,3-propanediol volumetric productivity was achieved by increasing the dilution rate, at a fixed feed substrate concentration of 30, 60 or 70 g l-1. Higher 1,3-propanediol final concentrations and volumetric productivities were also obtained when glycerol feed concentration was increased from 30 to 60 g l-1, at D=0.05–0.3 h-1, and from 60–70 g l-1, at D=0.05 and 0.1 h-1. 30 g l-1 of 1,3-propanediol and the highest reported value of productivity, 10.3 g l-1 h-1, was achieved at D=0.30 h-1 and 60 g l-1 of feed glycerol. A switch to an acetate/butyrate ratio higher than one was observed for 60 g l-1 of feed glycerol and a dilution rate higher than 0.10 h-1; moreover, at D=0.30 h-1 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde accumulation was observed for the first time in the fermentation broth of C. butyricum.engjournal article