Application of the headspace gas chromatographic technique for continuous monitoring of the acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation

Abstract An automatic, electropneumatic gas sampling system has been coupled to a gas chromatograph in order to monitor the acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation. During calibration, signal responses for individual aqueous solutions of acetone, butanol and ethanol were linear up to 20 g l −1 , and negligible deviations from linearity were observed in aqueous solvent mixtures. Although dissolved salts in the medium increased individual solvent activity coefficients, these remained constant throughout the fermentation. After calibration, this quantitative gas chromatographic method proved suitable for rapid, continuous, accurate and precise monitoring of the fermentation.