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Modeling and analysis of layered stationary anaerobic granular biofilms
Author(s) -
Tartakovsky B.,
Guiot S. R.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0290(19970420)54:2<122::aid-bit4>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - biofilm , propionate , anaerobic exercise , chemistry , degradation (telecommunications) , acidogenesis , trophic level , chemical engineering , microbiology and biotechnology , environmental chemistry , bacteria , ecology , anaerobic digestion , biology , methane , biochemistry , organic chemistry , physiology , telecommunications , genetics , computer science , engineering
A model that portrays substrate profiles in a steady‐state multispecies granular biofilm is developed and coupled with a biofilm detachment model. The model accounts for glucose, propionate, hydrogen, and acetate transformations performed by three bacterial trophic groups: acidogens, syntrophic bacterial consortia, and methanogens. This model adequately describes the phenomenon of propionate degradation under thermodynamically unfavorable bulk hydrogen concentrations. Also suggested is the superiority of the layered biofilm structure over homogeneous distribution of the trophic groups for anaerobic degradation of organic compounds. Furthermore, model analysis suggests that with increasing bulk glucose concentration biofilm thickness reaches a maximum that is then followed by biofilm disintegration. These results may have an important impact on the design and control of upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactors. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 54: 122–130, 1997.