A study on the emulsan production using $\underline{Acinetobacter}$ $\underline{calcoaceticus}$ RAG-1 (ATCC 31012) was carried out in the shake flask batch, fed-batch, membrane cell recycle reactor and continuous culture.
In the shake flask culture it was shown that magnesium sulfate was the essential growth factor and the most effective carbon source in the emulsifying activity and cell growth was ethanol.
The emulsifying activity of the fed-batch was 20-50% higher than that of the batch. This was due to the residual concentration of ethanol, that is, the emulsifying activity was related to the residual ethanol concentration of fed batch culture. In membrane cell recycle reactor operation maximum dry cell mass concentration was 10.8g/l. In this mode the maximum emulsifying activity was similar to that of batch. But after the cells reached the stationary phase the emulsifying activity rapidly decreased.
In the continuous culture the cell mass productivity (0.24g/L/hr) was superior to that of batch (2 fold) and the emulsan productivity (0.35U/mL/hr) was 25% higher than that of batch.
