The birth of modern industrial microbiology: the acetone–butanol fermentation

Abstract

Prompted by the exigencies of the First World War, the ability of certain bacteria to produce a mixture of organic solvents from carbohydrates was successfully harnessed as a source of acetone for use in the manufacture of cordite. From pilot plant studies conducted in an East London distillery, it was rapidly developed into what is now recognised as the first modern industrial fermentation process. In the post-war period, the process continued to thrive, especially in North America, as another of its products, butanol, became important in the burgeoning automobile industry. This paper describes the background to the development of acetone–butanol fermentation as an industrial process, its growth during the war years and how it contributed to the development of today’s biotechnology industry producing pharmaceuticals, food additives and many other microbial products.

Keywords:

• Biotechnology
• bacteria
• solvents
• cordite
• Weizmann

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the valued help and advice of Brian Strong during investigations in the National Archives.

Notes

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2. P. Krabben, ‘Acetone Production during the First World War,’ Microbiology Today, 41(2) (2014), 74–6.

3. A. W. Bunch, ‘How Biotechnology Helped Maintain the Supply of Acetone for the Manufacture of Cordite during World War I,’ International Journal for the Science of Engineering & Technology, 84 (2014), 151–66.

4. J. Reinharz, ‘Science in the Service of Politics: The Case of Chaim Weizmann during the First World War.’ The English Historical Review 100 (1985), 572–603.

5. D. T. Jones and D. R. Woods, ‘Acetone–Butanol Fermentation Revisited’ Microbiology Reviews, 50 (1986), 484–524.

6. It could be argued that the Amylo process is another candidate for this accolade; developed at the Institute Pasteur it was used in the production of alcohol from starch in several European countries prior to WWI. It was also used in tandem with the ABE in France after WWI. It appears to have been largely forgotten however, and something of a side-branch on biotechnology’s timeline.

7. A. Pryor, ‘The industrialisation of the London Brewing Trade: Part I,’ Brewery History, 161 (2015), 51–90.

8. A. Pryor, ‘The Industrialisation of the London Brewing Trade: Part II,’ Brewery History, 163 (2015), 56–63.

9. S.C. Prescott and C.G. Dunn, Industrial Microbiology (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1949), p. 312.

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11. W. H. Perkin Jr., ‘The Production and Polymerisation of Butadiene, Isoprene and their Homologues,’ Journal of the Society of Chemistry and Industry, 31 (1912), 616–24.

12. Throughout this early work considerable enthusiasm also existed for the possibility of using fermentation as a source of amyl alcohol from which isoprene could be made. As the major component of fusel oil, amyl alcohol was a well-known by-product in the manufacture of distilled spirits, but the quantities produced this way were low and, despite some false dawns, an organism capable of producing it in useful quantities could not be found.

13. J. Reinharz, Chaim Weizmann: The Making of a Zionist Leader (New York: Oxford University Press, 1985), p. 358.

14. J. E. G. Harris, Letter to the Editor, Chemistry and Industry (January 15, 1966).

15. During WWI demand for acetone was also increased by its use in ‘dope’ for tensioning the fabric on aircraft.

16. Prospectus for Synthetic Products Ltd National Archives, MUN7/239.

17. Letter from E H Strange to Dr. W R Hodgkinson, Ordnance College Woolwich. Agreement March 15, 1911 between Chaim Weizmann and W H Perkin. National Archives, MUN7/239.

18. This appears not to have been a typographical error as Weizmann did use the name Charles elsewhere on occasion.

19. J. Reinharz, Chaim Weizmann: The Making of a Zionist Leader (New York: Oxford University Press, 1985), p. 351.

20. Translation of letter from Weizmann to Shoen. Legal Aspects. National Archives MUN/239.

21. C. Weizmann, ‘Production of Acetone and Alcohol by Bacteriological Processes,’ 1919 US Patent 138,978.

22. Letter from G. N. Burkhardt, Manchester University Archives DCH2/24.

23. See note 11.

24. F. Nathan and A. Gill, ‘Conference on Recent Developments in the Fermentation Industries,’ Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry 38, 271–82.

25. C. Weizmann, Trial and Error (London: Hamish Hamilton, 1949), p. 220.

26. Weizmann’s Reports National Archives, MUN 7/236.

27. National Archives, MUN 7/240 Minutes of a Conference held 11/2/1916.

28. National Archives, MUN 5/192.

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30. T. K. Walker, Letter to the Editor. Chemistry and Industry (February 5, 1966).

31. R. Seligman, Letter to the Editor. Chemistry and Industry (April 30, 1966).

32. W. D. Cocroft, Dangerous Energy: The Archaeology of Gunpowder and Military Explosives Manufacture (Swindon: English Heritage, 2000), p. 158.

33. Archives of the Royal Society CMB/72/19.

34. A. Gill, ‘The production of normal butyl alcohol and acetone by the fermentation of horse-chestnuts,’ Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry, 38 (1919), 411–12T.

35. Archives of the Royal Society MS527/2/16/1-72.

36. See note 30.

37. C. L. Gabriel, ‘Butanol Fermentation Process,’ Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 20 (1928), 1063–7.

38. See note 31.

39. J. J. Hastings, ‘Acetone-Butyl Alcohol Fermentations’ Economic Microbiology, 2 (1978), 31–45.

40. J. J. Hastings, ‘Development of the fermentation industries in Great Britain,’ Advances in Applied Microbiology, 14 (1971), 1–46.

41. E. M. Green, ‘Commercialising biobutanol from renewable resources,’ Microbiology Today, November 2013, pp. 158–61.

42. A. Chaston Chapman, ‘The Employment of Micro-organisms in the Service of Industrial Chemistry. A Plea for a National Institute of Industrial Microbiology,’ Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry, 38 (1919), 282.

43. W. Hall, ‘Biotechnology: Investment Aimed at Preserving a Healthy Future,’ Financial Times, 25 October 2007.