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Modeling and analysis of diffusion and reaction in legume nodules
Author(s) -
Jones G. T.,
Davis L. C.,
Ghosh Hajra A. K.,
Erickson L. E.
Publication year - 1987
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.260290219
Subject(s) - acetylene , diffusion , legume , nitrogen fixation , chemistry , inert gas , nodule (geology) , ethylene , nitrogen , nitrogenase , thermodynamics , materials science , analytical chemistry (journal) , chromatography , botany , physics , organic chemistry , biology , paleontology , catalysis
Diffusion of gases through legume nodules is important for nitrogen fixation. A mathematical model is presented for diffusion and enzymatic reaction for legume nodules with a reactive core and an inert shell. The transient model is solved numerically for spherical geometry for acetylene reduction by nitrogenase enzyme. The results are used to estimate the diffusivities of acetylene and ethylene in the nodules by comparing predicted and experimental lag times. The experimental results are also analyzed using an effectiveness factor plot for spherical nodules with inert shells and reactive cores. The results show that the diffusivities are slightly higher than those for acetylene and ethylene in water because of some contribution of gas phase diffusion. Applications to oxygen diffusion through nodule tissue are suggested.