The present invention relates to a two-stage process for production of drop-in fuels/alcohols (methanol, ethanol or butanol) from volatile fatty acids produced either synthetically from fossil resources or as metabolic intermediates in acidification step of anaerobic digestion process from waste biomass and organic materials.

The present invention relates to a two-stage process for production of drop-in fuels/alcohols (methanol, ethanol or butanol) from volatile fatty acids produced either synthetically from fossil resources or as metabolic intermediates in acidification step of anaerobic digestion process from waste biomass and organic materials.

Some aspects of this invention provide methods and bioreactors for converting a carbon source into a lipid. In some embodiments, lipid production is carried out in an aerobic fermentor and carbon dioxide generated during lipid production is converted into a carbon substrate by CO.sub.2 fixation in an anaerobic fermentor. In some embodiments, the carbon substrate generated by CO.sub.2 fixation is used as the carbon source for lipid production, thus achieving total carbon utilization in lipid production.

Some aspects of this invention provide methods and bioreactors for converting a carbon source into a lipid. In some embodiments, lipid production is carried out in an aerobic fermentor and carbon dioxide generated during lipid production is converted into a carbon substrate by CO.sub.2 fixation in an anaerobic fermentor. In some embodiments, the carbon substrate generated by CO.sub.2 fixation is used as the carbon source for lipid production, thus achieving total carbon utilization in lipid production.

The process for producing organic molecules from fermentable biomass includes a step of anaerobic fermentation (5) producing volatile fatty acids (6), these precursors being transformed into final organic molecules by non-fermentation means. It also includes at least the following steps: a) extracting (9) at least one portion of the volatile fatty acids from the fermentation medium in such a way that the production of fermentation metabolites by the microorganisms (M) is not affected, and introducing a portion of the liquid phase (11) containing microorganisms from the extraction (9), b) synthesizing (13) organic molecules from the fermentation metabolites or from the volatile fatty acids extracted in step a)-c) continuing steps a) to b) until the final molecules are obtained, in terms of amount and quality. The invention also relates to an installation for implementing the process.

The process for producing organic molecules from fermentable biomass includes a step of anaerobic fermentation (5) producing volatile fatty acids (6), these precursors being transformed into final organic molecules by non-fermentation means. It also includes at least the following steps: a) extracting (9) at least one portion of the volatile fatty acids from the fermentation medium in such a way that the production of fermentation metabolites by the microorganisms (M) is not affected, and introducing a portion of the liquid phase (11) containing microorganisms from the extraction (9), b) synthesizing (13) organic molecules from the fermentation metabolites or from the volatile fatty acids extracted in step a)-c) continuing steps a) to b) until the final molecules are obtained, in terms of amount and quality. The invention also relates to an installation for implementing the process.

The invention provides methods for improving efficiency of fermentation by arginine supplementation, and genetically modified bacterium for use therefor. More particularly the invention provides methods for (i) increasing the production ATP intensive products with arginine supplementation, (ii) increasing utilization of arginine by a C1-fixing bacterium; and (iii) providing C1-fixing bacterium with optimized arginine de-aminase pathways.

The invention provides methods for improving efficiency of fermentation by arginine supplementation, and genetically modified bacterium for use therefor. More particularly the invention provides methods for (i) increasing the production ATP intensive products with arginine supplementation, (ii) increasing utilization of arginine by a C1-fixing bacterium; and (iii) providing C1-fixing bacterium with optimized arginine de-aminase pathways.

Control processes are provided for enhancing biological processes for converting gaseous substrates to useful end products such as ethanol. A process includes providing a gaseous substrate comprising one or more of CO and CO.sub.2 to a bioreactor at a substrate addition rate. Acetogenic bacteria provided to the bioreactor ferment the gaseous substrate in a fermentation broth. The process includes determining a concentration of carboxylic acids and/or carboxylates in the fermentation broth. A control algorithm uses those concentrations to adjust the gaseous substrate addition rate.

Control processes are provided for enhancing biological processes for converting gaseous substrates to useful end products such as ethanol. A process includes providing a gaseous substrate comprising one or more of CO and CO.sub.2 to a bioreactor at a substrate addition rate. Acetogenic bacteria provided to the bioreactor ferment the gaseous substrate in a fermentation broth. The process includes determining a concentration of carboxylic acids and/or carboxylates in the fermentation broth. A control algorithm uses those concentrations to adjust the gaseous substrate addition rate.