Hydrophobic cryogels prepared via cryo-polymerization as oil carriers for biosynthesis of sophorolipids

Microbial synthesis of high-value biochemicals like biosurfactants using renewable substrates has attracted an intensive interest in the past decade. In this work, the bioproduction of sophorolipids was achieved by fermentation of different vegetable oils with the strain of Candida bombicola A0803 using novel hydrophobic poly(butyl methacrylate)(pBMA) cryogels as the oil substrate delivery carriers. The hydrophobic cryogels were prepared successfully via the cryo-polymerization of the reactive emulsion containing hydrophobic monomers under freezing conditions, and the characterization of cryogels was investigated experimentally. The results showed that the polymerization yields of 70 %–89 % were achieved and the cryogels had supermacropores with the maximum porosities of 92 %–96 % and good elasticity in organic solvents but rigid in water, which could provide preferable release properties for vegetable oils. Theie Young's elasticity modulus varied from 0.096 to 0.951 kPa in ethanol and acetone and the related aqueous solutions. With the pBMA cryogels as the delivery carriers of oil substrates, the maximum concentrations of sophorolipids produced for rapeseed, perilla seed and linseed oils were improved 14.5 %, 54.5 % and 53.7 %, while the maximum productivities were improved 14.5 %, 72.1 % and 42.7 % compared with those under the same fermentation condition of free carriers after 204 h–252 h of cultivation, indicating that the hydrophobic cryogels could be an interesting material for the potential applications in biosynthesis areas.