Immobilization of Brevibacterium flavum with carrageenan and its application for continuous production of l-malic acid

Extensive experiments were carried out to improve the productivity ofl-malic acid from fumaric acid using Brevibacterium flavum immobilized with carrageenan. The most favourable preparation for the continuous production ofl-malic acid was obtained when 16 g of B. flavum cells was entrapped in 100 ml 3.4% carrageenan gel. However, the immobilized cells produced an unwanted by-product, succinic acid. Treatment of the immobilized cells with 0.6% bile extract suppressed the side reaction and gave the highest operational stability of fumarase activity. By the immobilization of intact cells, the optimal temperature of the enzyme reaction shifted to 10°C higher, the optimal pH became broader, and the operational stability of fumarase activity increased. The effect of temperature on the stability of fumarase activity in the immobilized cell column was investigated under conditions of continuous enzyme reaction. The decay of fumarase activity during continuous enzyme reaction was expressed by an exponential relationship. The productivity of the immobilized B. flavum using carrageenan was as high as 5.2 times that of the conventional immobilized B. ammoniagenes using polyacrylamide.