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The performance of an anaerobic hybrid reactor (AHR) for treating penicillin-G wastewater was investigated at the ambient temperatures of 30-35°C for 245 days in three phases. The experimental data were analysed by adopting an adaptive network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) model, which combines the merits of both fuzzy systems and neural network technology. The statistical quality of the ANFIS model was significant due to its high correlation coefficient R(2) between experimental and simulated COD values. The R(2) was found to be 0.9718, 0.9268 and 0.9796 for the I, II and III phases, respectively. Furthermore, one to one correlation among the simulated and observed values was also observed. The results showed the proposed ANFIS model was well performed in predicting the performance of AHR., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the present downstream processing of penicillin G, penicillin G is extracted from the fermentation broth with an organic solvent and purified as a potassium salt via a number of back-extraction and crystallization steps. After purification, penicillin G is hydrolyzed to 6-aminopenicillanic acid, a precursor for many semisynthetic beta-lactam antibiotics. We are studying a reduction in the number of pH shifts involved and hence a large reduction in the waste salt production. To this end, the organic penicillin G extract is directly to be added to an aqueous immobilized enzyme suspension reactor and hydrolyzed by extractive catalysis. We found that this conversion can exceed 90% because crystallization of 6-aminopenicillanic acid shifts the equilibrium to the product side. A model was developed for predicting the equilibrium conversion in batch systems containing both a water and a butyl acetate phase, with either potassium or D-p-hydroxyphenylglycine methyl ester as counter-ion of penicillin G. The model incorporates the partitioning equilibrium of the reactants, the enzymatic reaction equilibrium, and the crystallization equilibrium of 6-aminopenicillanic acid. The model predicted the equilibrium conversion of Pen G quite reasonably for different values of pH, initial penicillin G concentration and phase volume ratio. The model can be used as a tool for optimizing the enzymatic hydrolysis., (Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

To confirm the applicability for the extraction of penicillin G by an emulsion liquid membrane (ELM), the degree of decomposition of penicillin G during extraction was theoretically calculated. Decomposition was less than 1% provided that the initial sodium carbonate concentration in the internal phase was correctly determined, which proved the applicability of the ELM process. The procedure to determine the initial carbonate concentration in the internal phase was also described in order that the pH in the internal phase should be within the relatively stable range for penicillin G at the end of the extraction.

Penicillin G extraction by an emulsion liquid membrane (ELM) was investigated. The effects of surfactants, diluents, and carrier mixtures, together with their combined effects on the initial extraction rate and the emulsion stability were examined. Surfactants, diluents, and carriers used were Span80 (sorbitan monooleate)/ECA4360J (nonionic polyamine), n-butyl acetate/kerosene, and DOA (dioctylamine)/Amberlite LA-2 (secondary amine), respectively. The optimum extraction conditions were found to be 20% (v/v) of Span80 in ECA4360J as a surfactant, kerosene as a diluent and Amberlite LA-2 as a carrier.