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Degradation of quinoline by immobilized Comamonas acidovorans in a three‐phase airlift reactor
Author(s) -
Ulonska A.,
Deckwer W.D.,
Hecht V.
Publication year - 1995
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.260460111
Subject(s) - quinoline , airlift , chemistry , bioreactor , degradation (telecommunications) , chromatography , dilution , batch reactor , nuclear chemistry , chemical engineering , catalysis , organic chemistry , telecommunications , physics , computer science , engineering , thermodynamics
Quinolie degradation by Comamonas acidovorans was studied in a continuously operated three‐phase airlift reactor. Porous glass beads were applied as support matrix for cell imobilization by colonization. Under steady‐state conditions ( S ∼ 0), cell attachment was poor at low dilution rates but imporved considerably with increasing dilution rate. Conversion of quinoline was investigated below and above the washout for suspended culture ( D crit = μ max = 0.42 h −1 ). With immobilized cells the reactor could be operated at D > μ max , and complete conversion of quinoline was achieved as long as the specific quinoline feed rate D * S 0 / X did not exceed the maximum specific degradation rate ( r S , max ). The biofilm thickness was about 100 μm, and its efficiency was about 54% compared to suspended organisms. If quinoline overloads were supplied to the reactor, quinoline, as overloads were supplied to the reactor, quinoline, as well as its pathway intermediates, appeared in the reactor and conversion was low. Hence, the immobilized microorganisms remained viable and active. They could survive quinoline overloads. If the quinoline feed rate was reduced agains, complete conversion was reestablished. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.