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Mixed culture biooxidation of phenol. I. Determination of kinetic parameters
Author(s) -
Pawlowsky U.,
Howell J. A.
Publication year - 1973
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/bit.260150506
Subject(s) - biological system , kinetic energy , phenol , residence time (fluid dynamics) , substrate (aquarium) , least squares function approximation , function (biology) , growth rate , kinetics , chemistry , nonlinear regression , chromatography , environmental chemistry , mathematics , biology , ecology , statistics , physics , organic chemistry , regression analysis , geotechnical engineering , geometry , quantum mechanics , estimator , evolutionary biology , engineering
A mixed culture derived from soil and activated sludge organisms was used to degrade phenol which was inhibitory to microorganisms at higher concentrations. The purpose of the experiments was to determine the kinetic parameters governing growth of the organisms by measuring growth rates in batch culture. To maintain a constant inoculum for the experiments inoculum was taken from a continuously operating continuous culture. Two populations were studied corresponding to two separate residence times in the continuous culture apparatus. One contained predominantly filamentous organisms, the other nonfilamentous. Five kinetic models were applied to the data and the best kinetic parameters for each model were determined by nonlinear least squares techniques. The models were then evaluated for best relative fit to the data. No significant differences were found between the models on the basis of fit and so a choice was made on the grounds of simplicity. A model proposed by Haldane was chosen as the best. No function however gave a satisfactory fit at the highest growth rates obtained. This experimental maximum in the plot of growth rate against substrate concentration was very sharp.