Comparison of the energetic efficiencies of hydrogen and oxychemicals formation in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Clostridium butyricum during anaerobic growth on glycerol

Data for the anaerobic growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae DSM 2026 and Clostridium butyricum DSM 5431 on glycerol have been analyzed using the concept of material and available electron balances with consideration for hydrogen production. Models for the kinetics of energetic efficiencies of product formation under low residual glycerol are presented. For Klebsiella pneumoniae, the specific rates of electron transfer to the products were mainly significantly dependent on specific growth rate with the exception of ethanol and hydrogen which were also significantly non-growth associated. In the case of Clostridium butyricum, the rates were only growth rate dependent, except for hydrogen formation. The analysis also indicated that the production of 1,3-propanediol by Klebsiella pneumoniae was favoured by limitations other than glycerol limitation, while hydrogen generation was best under low residual glycerol and particularly in the presence of external 1,3-propanediol. Klebsiella pneumoniae appeared to be able to incorporate more of the available electrons of glycerol into hydrogen as compared with the Clostridium butyricum. The study demonstrates the need for properly considering H 2 in models describing anaerobic processes.