Microbial Transformation on Interface between Hydrophilic Carriers and Hydrophobic Organic Solvents

Abstract

A new method for the microbial transformation of water-insoluble compounds is proposed. Microorganisms were placed on the interface between hydrophilic carriers such as agar and hydrophobic organic solvents. These microorganisms could catalyze various transformations of synthetic substrates such as hydrolysis, esterification, oxidation, and reduction more efficiently than emulsion systems. This new type of bioreactor was tentatively named an Interface Bioreactor.