Rapid analysis of sustainable aviation fuel precursor in a fermentation system based on in-situ Raman spectroscopy

The ASTM have approved the hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) and direct sugar to hydrocarbon (DSHC) bio-aviation fuel production pathway in 2011 and 2014, respectively. For the bio-aviation fuel precursor production, non-destructive and rapid in-situ detection of metabolites is of great significance for achieving the real-time monitoring and control of the fermentation process. To address the limitations of conventional analysis and detection methods, such as gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, in process optimization and rapid detection, a rapid quantitative online Raman analysis of (3-farnesene in fermentation and strain screening method was established, and was reported here for the first time. The testing time of (3-farnesene can be reduced by at least 48 times, from 20 min to 25 s. The developed online Raman analysis method is suitable for in-situ rapid analysis and strain screening of bio-aviation fuel precursor (such as terpenes and fatty acids) with properties similar to those of (3-farnesene.