Synthesis and application of amine functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles on menaquinone-7 fermentation: A step towards process intensification

Abstract

Industrial production of menaquione-7 by Bacillus subtilis natto is associated with major drawbacks. To address the current challenges in menaquione-7 fermentation, studying the effect of magnetic nanoparticles on the bacterial cells can open up a new domain for intensified menqainone-7 process. This article introduces the new concept of production and application of L-lysine coated iron oxide nanoparticles (L-Lys@IONs) as a novel tool for menaquinone-7 biosynthesis. L-Lys@IONs with the average size of 7 nm were successfully fabricated and were examined in a fermentation process of L-Lys@IONs decorated Bacillus subtilis natto. Based on the results, higher menaquinone-7 specific yield was observed for L-Lys@IONs decorated bacterial cells as compared to untreated bacteria. In addition, more than 92% removal efficacy was achieved by using integrated magnetic separation process. The present study demonstrates that L-Lys@IONs can be successfully applied during a fermentation of menaquinone-7 without any negative consequences on the culture conditions. This study provides a novel biotechnological application for IONs and their future role in bioprocess intensification.