Biological oils and production and uses Thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides biological oils and methods and uses thereof. The biological oils are preferably produced by heterotrophic fermentation of one or more microorganisms using cellulose-containing feedstock as a main source of carbon. The present invention also provides methods of producing lipid-based biofuels and food, nutritional, and pharmaceutical products using the biological oils.

1 . A method for producing a biological oil comprising growing a microorganism of the kingdom Stramenopile by heterotrophic fermentation using feedstock comprising cellulose as a carbon source, wherein about 11% to about 99% of unsaturated fatty acids in said biological oil are polyunsaturated fatty acids. 
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein greater than about 50% of unsaturated fatty acids in said biological oil are polyunsaturated fatty acids. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said microorganism is a Thraustochytrid. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said microorganism is selected from the group consisting of microorganisms of the genus  Schizochytrium,  microorganism of the genus  Thraustochytrium,  and microorganisms of the genus  Ulkenia.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said microorganism saccharifies said cellulose. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said microorganism is resistant to or degrades feedstock components selected from the group consisting of lignin, hemicellulose, plant oil, plant extracellular polysaccharides, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said microorganism is a genetically modified microorganism. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said microorganism produces oil in triglyceride form in an amount of from about 25% to about 85% by weight of its dry biomass. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing autolysis or induced lysis of said microorganism after said microorganism has produced oil in an amount of from about 30% to about 90% by weight of its dry biomass. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising inducing lysis of said microorganism by exposing said microorganism to a condition favorable for lysis selected from the group consisting of a pH, a temperature, the presence of an enzyme, the presence of a detergent, physical disruption, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said feedstock comprising cellulose comprises a source of cellulose selected from the group consisting of grass, sugar cane, agricultural waste, waste paper, sewage, wood, an organism of the kingdom viridiplantae, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fermentation is performed in a nonsterile fermentor. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fermentation is performed in a fermentor selected from the group consisting of fiber reinforced polymer fermentors, metal matrix composite fermentors, ceramic matrix composite fermentors, thermoplastic composite fermentors, metal fermentors, epoxy lined carbon steel fermentors, plastic lined carbon steel fermentors, plastic fermentors, fiberglass fermenters, and concrete fermentors. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fermentation is carried out in a fermentor that is submerged in water. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fermentation is carried out in fermentors having cooling systems connected in series such that cooling water effluent from a first fermentor or a set of fermentors in the series is used as a cooling water supply for a second fermentor or set of fermentors in the series. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fermentation is carried out in fermentors having gas systems connected in series such that sparge exhaust from a first fermentor or a set of fermentors in the series is used as a gas supply for a second fermentor or set of fermentors in the series. 
   
   
       17 . A method for producing biodiesel comprising:
 (a) growing a microorganism of the kingdom Stramenopile by heterotrophic fermentation using feedstock comprising cellulose as a carbon source to produce a biological oil, wherein about 11% to about 99% of unsaturated fatty acids in said biological oil are polyunsaturated fatty acids; and   (b) transesterifying said biological oil to produce biodiesel.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein greater than about 50% of unsaturated fatty acids in said biological oil are polyunsaturated fatty acids. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said transesterifying of said biological oil is performed using an alcohol derived from an alcohol production process. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising using glycerol resulting from said transesterifying of said biological oil as a carbon source for a subsequent fermentation process to produce an alcohol or a biological oil. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said subsequent fermentation process grows a microorganism that is capable of using said glycerol as a carbon source. 
   
   
       22 . A method for producing jet biofuel comprising:
 (a) growing a microorganism of the kingdom Stramenopile by heterotrophic fermentation using feedstock comprising cellulose as a carbon source to produce a biological oil, wherein about 11% to about 99% of unsaturated fatty acids in said biological oil are polyunsaturated fatty acids; and   (b) cracking said biological oil to produce jet biofuel.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said biological oil comprises about 10% to about 75% by weight of polyunsaturated fatty acids. 
   
   
       24 . A lipid-based biofuel composition comprising from about 1% to about 75% by weight of alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids having 20 or more carbons. 
   
   
       25 . The lipid-based biofuel composition of  claim 24 , wherein said lipid-based biofuel composition has a melting temperature of from about 30° C. to about −50° C. 
   
   
       26 . A method for producing a biological oil comprising growing two or more microorganisms simultaneously or sequentially by heterotrophic fermentation, using feedstock comprising cellulose as a carbon source, wherein one or more of said microorganisms are capable of saccharifying said cellulose. 
   
   
       27 . A method of producing a biological oil comprising growing a microorganism by heterotrophic fermentation in a nonsterile fermentor. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said biological oil is produced at a rate of about 5 g/L/day to about 70 g/L/day. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said biological oil is produced at a rate of about 30 g/L/day to about 70 g/L/day. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein growing said microorganism achieves a cell density of about 10 g/L to about 300 g/L. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein growing said microorganism achieves a cell density of about 150 g/L to about 250 g/L. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein growing said microorganism comprises using cellulose as a carbon source. 
   
   
       33 . A method of producing biodiesel comprising:
 (a) growing a microorganism in a nonsterile fermentor to produce a biological oil; and   (b) transesterifying said biological oil to produce biodiesel.   
   
   
       34 . A method of producing jet biofuel comprising:
 (a) growing a microorganism in a nonsterile fermentor to produce a biological oil; and   (b) cracking said biological oil to produce jet biofuel.   
   
   
       35 . A method of producing biodiesel comprising:
 (a) growing a microorganism using nutrients comprising recycled media to produce a biological oil; and   (b) transesterifying said biological oil to produce biodiesel.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said recycled media is selected from the group consisting of de-lipidated biomass, hydrolyzed biomass, partially hydrolyzed biomass, recycled metals, recycled salts, recycled amino acids, recycled extracellular carbohydrates, recycled glycerol, recycled yeast biomass, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein growing said microorganism comprises using cellulose as a carbon source. 
   
   
       38 . A method of producing jet biofuel comprising:
 (a) growing a microorganism using nutrients comprising recycled media to produce a biological oil; and   (b) cracking said biological oil to produce jet biofuel.   
   
   
       39 . A method of producing biodiesel comprising:
 (a) growing a microorganism using a fermentation system comprising a continuous seed stage and a lipid-production stage to produce a biological oil; and   (b) transesterifying said biological oil to produce biodiesel.   
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said continuous seed stage produces biomass of said microorganism such that about 10% to about 95% of the total biomass production of said microorganism is achieved during said continuous seed stage. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said lipid-production stage is carried out as a fed-batch process. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said lipid-production stage produces lipids such that about 10% to about 95% of the total lipid production of said microorganism is achieved during said lipid-production stage. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein growing said microorganism comprises using cellulose as a carbon source. 
   
   
       44 . A method of producing jet biofuel comprising
 (a) growing a microorganism using a fermentation system comprising a continuous seed stage and a lipid-production stage to produce a biological oil; and   (b) cracking said biological oil to produce jet biofuel.