Gas-liquid interfacial area in oxygen absorption into oil-in-water emulsions

Abstract

Present work includes an exhaustive study about gas-liquid interfacial area between gas phase and liquid heterogeneous medium generated in an airlift bioreactor. The model system studied is composed by water, methyl ricinoleate and Tween 80, since it is the base of the medium used for the production of γ-decalactone through the biotransformation of ricinoleic acid, by the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. Experimental results allow describing the hydrodynamic behavior of the gas phase into the biphasic medium. In the oil-in-water system used, a decrease of the gas-liquid interfacial area with the oil concentration increase was found, due to the redistribution of surfactant between interface and bulk phases.