Dynamic thermodynamic flux balance analysis and life cycle analysis of microbial biofuels

Chamkalani, Ali (2018) Dynamic thermodynamic flux balance analysis and life cycle analysis of microbial biofuels. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Recently, a paradigm shift from fossil fuel energy to renewable energy is observed because of the environmental awareness. Algae are abundant, carbon neutral and renewable, which make them high potential materials to be developed as a fuel source, pending economic constraints. If algae are used as a platform, a clear and precise insight to the pathway should be presented. This requires a deep understanding of gene-protein-reaction systems. Using the genome-scale metabolic networks, a better description of the cellular metabolism and strain optimization will be attained; this will help to decrease the demand for expensive in-vivo experiments. First Phase: one major objective of this research was to maximize the production rate of algae biofuel at different process conditions with economic and environmental considerations. We did a comprehensive review on life cycle analysis of algal biodiesel. In this review, the effect of different process variables on the environmental impacts of algal biodiesel in the literature were systematically presented. Second Phase: We integrated the biological data and thermodynamic constraints to establish a realistic metabolic phenotypic space. With the aid of public metabolic networks, the MODEL SEED database, and component contribution, we incorporated the thermodynamics and chemical reactions constraints. Third Phase: In metabolic network modeling, many simulations carry out in “static” state whereas our interest is to predict the behavior in a “dynamical” approach and to understand how environment and intracellular interact. In addition, the metabolic phenotype of cell systems often involves high levels of nutrient uptake and excessive byproduct secretion. In silico scenarios were used to simulate diauxic growth under two different situations. The glucose and xylose as main component of lignocellulosic biomass defined in media and allow E. coli to grow on them. Then under fully aerobic condition and later of under aerobic to anaerobic transition, simulations were performed to see how our proposed dynamic thermodynamic flux balance (DT-FBA) captures cell behaviors.

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