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Continuous determination of ethanol during aerobic cultivation of yeasts
Author(s) -
Bach H. P.,
Woehrer W.,
Roehr M.
Publication year - 1978
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.260200603
Subject(s) - ethanol , fermentation , aeration , chemistry , ethanol fuel , yeast , chromatography , ethanol fermentation , food science , biochemistry , organic chemistry
A new sensor for the continuous determination of ethanol during the production of yeasts, growing aerobically on fermentable sugars, is described. The operating principle is based on the detection of ethanol vapor in the exit air. A description of the sensor with a diagram of the measuring electronics is supplied. It was designed for the determination of ethanol contents up to 3 g/liter in aqueous solutions at 30°C. The sensitivity is very high — 1 ppm ethanol being detectable under these conditions. The aeration rate dose not affect the output signal in a wide range (0.5–2 v/v/m). Besides the unspecific sensitivity of the sensor to other easily oxidizable substances, the influence of the pO 2 in the exit air, however, must be taken into account. The application of the sensor is shown in a fed‐batch culture of bakers' yeast where aerobic fermentation is caused by increasing the glucose feed rate.