Summary
The present case study proposed the use of a genetically modified Clostridia strain that can produce a mixture of acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE mixture) from raw materials. All components of the mixture are clear liquids with a pungent odor in terms of geometric characteristics, their ratio being 3:6:1. In terms of functional characteristics, these liquids belong to the group of low-viscosity materials; and because of the more straightforward chemical structure, ethanol of all three liquids has the lowest melting point. The melting temperatures (Tm) of acetone and 1-butanol are almost similar — it is also worth saying that all three Tm turn out to be critically low due to the normal liquid phase of the organic small-molecule substance. Finally, in terms of operating characteristics, the ABE mixture is a colorless liquid at room temperature, with ethanol and acetone being volatile. The liquids are difficult to confuse with each other because their odors are vastly different and pungent. Acetone is the only one of the three liquids with a higher vapor pressure, meaning that maximum pressure is needed for this substance to exist in a balanced state of liquid and vapor. The ABE mixture is obtained simultaneously as a result of metabolic processes within the bacteria, so the final yield of the product is strictly dependent on the conditions of cultivation.