Application of protease-hydrolyzed whey as a complex nitrogen source to increase poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) production from oils by Cupriavidus necator

Whole whey hydrolyzed by Alcalase (WWH) was tested as a complex nitrogen source for the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) from waste frying oils by Cupriavidus necator H16. Addition of WWH (10 % (v/v) of cultivation media) supported the growth and PHB accumulation; PHB yields in Erlenmeyer flasks were more than 3.5-fold higher than in control cultivations. The positive influence of WWH on PHB production was confirmed in experiments performed in laboratory fermentor. C. necator cultivated with WWH produced 28.1 g PHB l(-1) resulting in a very high product yield coefficient of 0.94 g PHB per g oil. Since PHB yields were similar to 40 % higher than in the control cultivation, WWH can be considered as an excellent inexpensive nitrogen source for PHB production by C. necator.