History of the ABE Fermentation
1861-1910 Discovery of solvent fermentation
1911-1919 Development of ABE fermentation
1920-1950 Rise of the ABE industry
1960-2000 Decline of the ABE industry
Today Butanol as a biofuel
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1862 Louis Pasteur first recorded the formation of butanol by an organism he termed 'Vibrion butyrique'. -
- 1905 Schardinger isolated organism producing acetone, ethanol and acetic acid.
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- 1910 British company, Strange and Graham Ltd embarked on project to make synthetic rubber leading to search for solvent-producing bacteria.
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- 1911 Fernbach and Strange issued 2 British patents for solvent fermentation using Fernbach strain and potato as a substrate.
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- 1912-1914 Chaim Weizmann, working at Manchester University, isolated strain with high solvent yield (Clostridium acetobutylicum).
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- 1915 Weizmann issued British patent for process using C. acetobutylicum and maize mash in addition to potato: First ABE process.
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- 1914-1918 WWI shortage of acetone, required to produce cordite for munitions, stimulated industrial-scale application of the ABE process. Weizmann selected to head the acetone project by the British Government. Towards the end of the war, ABE plants were relocated to Canada and USA due to British food shortages.
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- 1920-1933 US Prohibition led to shortage of amyl acetate for use as a solvent in car lacquers. With butyl acetone as a replacement there was a new demand for butanol.
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- 1930s Molasses developed as a substrate, leading to isolation of new strains. After expiry of Weizmann patent, ABE plants built worldwide including USA, Japan, South Africa and USSR.
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- 1939-1945 WWII increased demand for acetone.
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- 1950s ABE fermentation developed in China.
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- 1960s Rise of the petrochemical industry provided a competitive source of solvents. This, coupled with increasing feedstock costs, led to the demise of the ABE industry in UK and USA.
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- 1980s Last plants ceased operating in South Africa and USSR .
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- 2004 Final ABE plant closed in China.
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- Today Butanol as a biofuel
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- 1990 First clostridia workshop on solvent and acid-forming clostridia. Continues to be held every 2 years.
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- 2005 Butanol recognised as a biofuel when Dr David Ramey drove car across the USA fuelled solely on butanol.
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- 2007 BP and Dupont announce plans to develop butanol as a biofuel.
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- Dec 2007 The Biofuel Research Centre launched at Edinburgh Napier University.