Growth and fermentation responses of Selenomonas ruminantium to limiting and non-limiting concentrations of ammonium chloride

 The objective of this study was to assess fermentation product, growth rate and growth yield responses of Selenomonas ruminantium HD₄ to limiting and non-limiting ammonia concentrations. The ammonia half-inhibition constant for S. ruminantium in batch culture was 296 mM. Cells were grown in continuous culture with a defined ascorbate-reduced basal medium containing either 0.5, 5, 25, 50, 100 or 200 mM NH₄Cl and dilution rates were 0.07, 0.14, 0.24 or 0.40 h^-1. Ammonia was the growth-limiting nutrient when 0.5 mM NH₄Cl was provided and the half-saturation constant was 72 μM. Specific rates of glucose utilization and fermentation acid carbon formation were highest for 0.5 mM NH₄Cl. Lactate production (moles per mole of glucose disappearing) increased at the fastest dilution rate (0.40 h^-1) for 5.0 mM NH₄Cl while acetate and propionate decreased when compared to slower dilutions (0.07 and 0.14 h^-1). Lactate production remained low while acetate and propionate remained high for all dilution rates when NH₄Cl concentrations were 25 mM or greater. Yield (Y _Glc and Y _ATP) were nearly doubled when NH₄Cl was increased from 0.5 mM (25.1 g cells/mol glucose used and 13.9 g cells/mol ATP produced respectively) to the higher concentrations. Y _Glc was highest at 25 mM and 50 mM NH₄Cl (48.2 cells/mol and 43.1 cells/mol respectively) as was Y _ATP (23.2 cells/mol and 20.8 cells/mol respectively). Y _NH3 was highest at the lowest NH₄Cl concentration. The maximal fermentation product formation rate occurred at a growth-limiting ammonia concentration, while maximal glucose and ATP bacterial yields occurred at non-growth-limiting ammonia concentrations. Given the growth response of this ruminal bacterium, it is possible that maximization of ruminal bacterial yield may necessitate sacrificing the substrate degradation rate and vice versa. Received: 5 December 1995/Received revision: 2 April 1996/Accepted: 22 April 1996     

Growth and butyric acid production by Clostridium populeti

The growth of Clostridium populeti in 2% (w/v) glucose medium containing 0.2% (w/v) yeast extract was optimal with 10 mM NH₄Cl as the nitrogen source. Although the maximum specific growth rate (=0.32 h^-1) with 5 mM NH₄Cl was similar, the biomass yield was about 30% lower than that at the optimum. Either sodium sulphide or cysteine-HCl at an optimum concentration of 0.33 mM and 5.0 mM respectively, could serve as the sole sulphur source for growth. The growth rate was unaffected by initial glucose concentrations of up to 10% (w/v), but in the presence of 15% glucose it declined by about 35%. The molar yield of butyric acid (mol/mol glucose) declined from 0.70 in 1% (w/v) initial glucose medium to 0.39 in 10% glucose medium. In 5.7% initial glucose medium, butyric acid levels of 6.3 g/l were obtained (0.56 mol butyrate/mol glucose) after 72 h of incubation in 2.5 l batch cultures. A decrease of about 50% in the maximum specific growth rate of C. populeti was observed in the presence of an initial concentration of either 1.2 g/l of butyric acid or 18.9 g/l of acetic acid.This paper is issued as NRCC No. 29032     

Increase in Silk Production by the Silkworm,Bombyx morì L., due to Oral Administration of a Juvenile Hormone Analog

(R)-1,3-butanediol ((R)-1,3-BD) is an important substrate for the synthesis of industrial chemicals. Despite its large demand, a bioprocess for the efficient production of 1,3-BD from renewable resources has not been developed. We previously reported the construction of recombinant Escherichia coli that could efficiently produce (R)-1,3-BD from glucose. In this study, the fermentation conditions were optimized to further improve 1,3-BD production by the recombinant strain. A batch fermentation was performed with an optimized overall oxygen transfer coefficient (82.3?h^?1) and pH (5.5); the 1,3-BD concentration reached 98.5?mM after 36?h with high-yield (0.444?mol (mol glucose)^?1) and a high maximum production rate (3.63?mM?h^?1). In addition, a fed-batch fermentation enabled the recombinant strain to produce 174.8?mM 1,3-BD after 96?h cultivation with a yield of 0.372?mol (mol glucose)^?1, a maximum production rate of 3.90?mM?h^?1, and a 98.6% enantiomeric excess (% ee) of (R)-1,3-BD.     

An analysis of the growth of Gluconobacter oxydans in chemostat cultures

Gluconobacter oxydans was grown successively in glucose and nitrogen-limited chemostat cultures. Construction of mass balances of organisms growing at increasing dilution rates in glucose-limited cultures, at pH 5.5, revealed a major shift from extensive glucose metabolism via the pentose phosphate pathway to the direct pathway of glucose oxidation yielding gluconic acid. Thus, whereas carbon dioxide production from glucose accounted for 49.4% of the carbon input at a dilution rate (D)=0.05 h^-1, it accounted for only 1.3% at D=0.26 h^-1. This decline in pentose phosphate pathway activity resulted in decreasing molar growth yields on glucose. At dilution rates of 0.05 h^-1 and 0.26 h^-1 molar growth yields of 19.5 g/mol and 3.2 g/mol, respectively, were obtained. Increase of the steady state glucose concentration in nitrogen-limited chemostat cultures maintained at a constant dilution rate also resulted in a decreased flow of carbon through the pentose phosphate pathway. Above a threshold value of 15–20 mM glucose in the culture, pentose phosphate pathway activity almost completely inhibited. In G. oxydans the coupling between energy generation and growth was very inefficient; yield values obtained at various dilution rates varied between 0.8–3.4 g/cells synthesized per 0.5 mol of oxygen consumed.     

Kinetics of Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 15707 fermentations: effect of the dilution rate and carbon source

The effect of the dilution rate on biomass and product synthesis in fermentations of glucose, fructose and a commercial mixture of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) by Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 15707 was studied. Kinetic parameters (maximum specific growth rate, Monod constant, maintenance, and yield coefficients) in the mathematical model of the fermentation were estimated from experimental data. In the FOS mixture fermentations, approximately 12% of the total reducing sugars (mainly fructose) in the feed were not metabolized by the bacterium. In fermentations of fructose and the FOS mixture, biomass concentration increased as the dilution rate increased and, once maximum values were reached [3.90 (D=0.20 h^–1) and 2.54 g l^–1 (D=0.15 h^–1), respectively], decreased rapidly as the culture was washed out. Formic acid was detected at low dilution rates in glucose and fructose fermentations. The main products in fermentations of the three carbon sources were lactic and acetic acids. Average values of the molar ratio between acetic and lactic acids of 1.18, 1.21 and 0.83 mol mol^–1 were obtained in glucose, fructose and FOS mixture fermentations, respectively. In batch fermentations carried out without pH control this molar ratio was lower than 1.5 only when fructose was used as the carbon source.     

Propionic acid fermentation from glycerol: comparison with conventional substrates

Instead of the conventional carbon sources used for propionic acid biosynthesis, the utilization of glycerol is considered here, since the metabolic pathway involved in the conversion of glycerol to propionic acid is redox-neutral and energetic. Three strains, Propionibacterium acidipropionici, Propionibacterium acnes and Clostridium propionicum were tested for their ability to convert glycerol to propionic acid during batch fermentation with initially 20 g/l glycerol. P. acidipropionici showed higher efficiency in terms of fermentation time and conversion yield than did the other strains. The fermentation profile of this bacterium consisted in propionic acid as the major product (0.844 mol/mol), and in minimal by-products: succinic (0.055 mol/mol), acetic (0.023 mol/mol) and formic (0.020 mol/mol) acids and n-propanol (0.036 mol/mol). The overall propionic acid productivity was 0.18 g l⁻¹h⁻¹. A comparative study with glucose and lactic acid as carbon sources showed both less diversity in end-product composition and a 17% and 13% lower propionic acid conversion yield respectively than with glycerol. Increasing the initial glycerol concentration resulted in an enhanced productivity up to 0.36 g l⁻¹h⁻¹ and in a maximal propionic acid concentration of 42 g/l, while a slight decrease of the conversion yield was noticed. Such a propionic acid production rate was similar or higher than the values obtained with lactic acid (0.35 g l⁻¹h⁻¹) or glucose (0.28 g l⁻¹h⁻¹). These results demonstrated that glycerol is a carbon source of interest for propionic acid production. Received: 15 July 1996 / Received revision: 11 November 1996 / Accepted: 11 November 1996     

H2 production from chemostat fermentation of glucose byClostridium butyricum andClostridium pasteurianum in ammonium- and phosphate limitation

Summary In ammonium-limitation (4.55 mM NH₄ ⁺) at a dilution rate (D)=0.081 h^–1,Clostridium butyricum produced 2 mol H₂ per mol glucose consumed at pH 5.0, but at a low fermentation rate. At higher pH, important amounts of extracellular protein were produced. Phosphatelimitation (0.5 mM PO₄ ^–3) at D=0.061 h^–1 and pH 7.0 were the best conditions tested for hydrogen gas production (2.22 mol H₂ per mol glucose consumed) at a high fermentation rate. Steady-state growth at lower pH and with 0.1 mM PO₄ ^–3 resulted in proportional higher glucose incorporation into biomass and lower H₂ production. C. pasteurianum in NH₄ ⁺ limitation showed higher fermentation rates thanC. butyricum and a stabilized H₂ production around 2.08 (±0.06) mol per mol glucose consumed at various defined pH conditions, although the acetate/butyrate ratio increased to 1 at pH 7.0. The latter was also observed in phosphate-limitation, but here H₂ production was maximal (1.90 mol. per mol glucose consumed) at the lowest pH (5.5) tested.     

Effects of dilution rate and pH on the ruminal cellulolytic bacterium Fibrobacter succinogenes S85 in cellulose-fed continuous culture

The ruminal cellulolytic bacterium Fibrobacter succinogenes S85 was grown in cellulose-fed continuous culture at 22 different combinations of dilution rate (D, 0.014–0.076 h^-1) and extracellular pH (6.11–6.84). Effects of pH and D on the fermentation were determined by subjecting data on cellulose consumption, cell yield, product yield (succinate, acetate, formate), and soluble sugar concentrationto response surface analysis. The extent of cellulose conversion decreased with increasing D. First-order rate constants at rapid growth rates were estimated as 0.07–0.11 h^-1, and decreased with decreasing pH. Apparent decreases in the rate constant with increasing D was not due to inadequate mixing or preferential utilization of the more amorphous regions of the cellulose. Significant quantities of soluble sugars (0.04–0.18 g/l, primarily glucose) were detected in all cultures, suggesting that glucose uptake was rather inefficient. Cell yields (0.11–0.24 g cells/g cellulose consumed) increased with increasing D. Pirt plots of the predicted yield data were used to determined that maintenance coefficient (0.04–0.06 g cellulose/g cells · h) and true growth yield (0.23–0.25 g cells/g cellulose consumed) varied slightly with pH. Yields of succinate, the major fermentation endproduct, were as high as 1.15 mol/mol anhydroglucose fermented, and were slightly affected by dilution rate but were not affected by pH. Comparison of the fermentation data with that of other ruminal cellulolytic bacteria indicates that F. succinogenes S85 is capable of rapid hydrolysis of crystalline cellulose and efficient growth, despite a lower _max on microcrystalline cellulose.     

The role of carbon dioxide in glucose metabolism of Bacteroides fragilis

The effect of CO₂ concentration on growth and glucose fermentation of Bacteroides fragilis was studied in a defined mineral medium. Batch culture experiments were done in closed tubes containing CO₂ concentrations ranging from 10% to 100% (with appropriate amounts of bicarbonate added to maintain the pH at 6.7). These experiments revealed that CO₂ had no influence on growth rate or cell yield when the CO₂ concentration was above 30% CO₂ (minimum available CO₂–HCO ₃ ^- , 25.5 mM), whereas a slight decrease in these parameters was observed at 20% and 10% CO₂ (available CO₂–HCO ₃ ^- , 17 and 8.5 mM, respectively). If CO₂–HCO ₃ ^- concentrations were below 10 mM, the lag phase lengthened and a decrease in maximal growth rate and cell yield were observed. The amount of acetate made decreased, while d-lactate concentration increased. A net production of CO₂ allowed growth under conditions of extremely low concentrations of added CO₂.When B. fragilis was grown in continuous culture with 100% CO₂ or 100% N₂, the dilution rate influenced the concentrations of acetate, succinate, propionate, d-lactate, l-malate and formate formed. Decreasing the dilution rate favored propionate and acetate production under both conditions. When the organism was grown with 100% N₂, the amount of propionate formed was greater than the amount of succinate formed at all dilution rates. Except at slow dilution rates the reverse was true when 100% CO₂ was used. B. fragilis was unable to grow at dilution rates faster than 0.154 h^-1 when grown with 100% N₂; the Y _glc ^max was 67.9 g DW cells/mol glucose and m _s was 0.064 mmol glucose/g DW·h. If the gas atmosphere was 100% CO₂ the organism was washed out of the culture when the dilution rate exceeded 0.38 h^-1; the Y _glc ^max was 59.4 g DW cells/mol glucose and m _s was 0.094 mmol glucose/g DW·h.Measurement of the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase (E.C. 4.1.1.49) with whole, permeabilized cells of B. fragilis showed an increase of specific enzyme activity with decreasing CO₂ concentrations. The mechanisms used by B. fragilis to adjust to low levels of CO₂ are discussed.     

Microbial production of propionic acid and vitamin B12 using molasses or sugar

With a cell concentration of 125 g dry biomass 1^–1 and a dilution rate of 0.1 h^–1,Propionibacterium acidipropionici produces 30 g propionic acid 1^–1 from sugar with a productivity of 3 g 1^–1 h^–1. The yield of propionic acid is approx. 0.36–0.45 g propionic acid g^–1 sucrose and is independent of the dilution rate and cell concentration. Acetic acid is an unwanted by-product in the production of propionic acid. The concentration of acetic acid only increases slightly when the cell concentration is increased. A two-stage fermentation process was developed for the conversion of sugar or molasses of various types to propionic acid and vitamin B₁₂. By fermentation of blackstrap molasses (from sugar beet and sugar cane) in the first fermentation stage 17.7 g propionic acid 1^–1 with a yield of 0.5 g propionic acid g^–1 carbohydrate was produced with a dilution rate of 0.25 h^–1. In the second stage 49 mg vitamin B₁₂ 1^–1 was produced at a dilution rate of 0.03 h^–1.     

Organic and inorganic nitrogen source effects on the metabolism of Clostridium acetobytulicum

Summary The effects of organic and inorganic nitrogen combinations on cell growth, solvent production and nitrogen utilization by Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 was studied in batch fermentations. Fermentations in media with 10 mM glutamic acid, as the organic nitrogen source, and 0 mM to 10 mM ammonium chloride, as the inorganic nitrogen source had a solvent yield of 0.8 to 1.08 mmol solvent/mmol glucose used, with a slow fermentation rate (2 mmol solvent/l h^-1). When media contained 20 mM or 30 mM glutamic acid as well as 2.5 to 7.5 mM ammonium chloride the fermentation rate increased (5.5 mmol/l h^-1) while the solvent yield remained constant (0.86 to 0.96 mmol solvent/mmol glucose used). Total solvent production was higher in media containing 20 mM or 30 mM glutamic acid than with 10 mM glutamic acid.     

Production of 1,3-Propanediol by Clostridium butyricum VPI 3266 in continuous cultures with high yield and productivity

The effects of dilution rate and substrate feed concentration on continuous glycerol fermentation by Clostridium butyricum VPI 3266, a natural 1,3-propanediol producer, were evaluated in this work. A high and constant 1,3-propanediol yield (around 0.65 mol/mol), close to the theoretical value, was obtained irrespective of substrate feed concentration or dilution rate. Improvement of 1,3-propanediol volumetric productivity was achieved by increasing the dilution rate, at a fixed feed substrate concentration of 30, 60 or 70 g l⁻¹. Higher 1,3-propanediol final concentrations and volumetric productivities were also obtained when glycerol feed concentration was increased from 30 to 60 g l⁻¹, at D=0.05–0.3 h⁻¹, and from 60–70 g l⁻¹, at D=0.05 and 0.1 h⁻¹·30 g l⁻¹ of 1,3-propanediol and the highest reported value of productivity, 10.3 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹, was achieved at D=0.30 h⁻¹ and 60 g l⁻¹ of feed glycerol. A switch to an acetate/butyrate ratio higher than one was observed for 60 g l⁻¹ of feed glycerol and a dilution rate higher than 0.10 h⁻¹; moreover, at D=0.30 h⁻¹ 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde accumulation was observed for the first time in the fermentation broth of C. butyricum.     

Continuous and biomass recycle fermentations of Clostridium acetobutylicum

The availability and demand of biosynthetic energy (ATP) is an important factor in the regulation of solvent production in steady state continuous cultures of Clostridium acetobutylicum. The effect of biomass recycle at a variety of dilution rates and recycle ratios under both glucose and non-glucose limited conditions on product yields and selectivities has been investigated. Under conditions of non-glucose limitation, when the ATP supply is not growth-limiting, a lower growth rate imposed by biomass recycle leads to a reduced demand for ATP and substantially higher acetone and butanol yields. When the culture is glucose limited, however, biomass recycle results in lower solvent yields and higher acid yields.List of Symbols A ₆₀₀ absorbance at 600 nm - ATP adenosine triphosphate - C _imol/dm³ concentration of componenti in the fermentor - C _i ⁰ mol/dm³ concentration of componenti in the feed - D h^–1 dilution rate - F dm³/h feed flow rate - FdH₂ ferredoxin, reduced form - NAD nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, oxidized form - NADH nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced form - NfF mmol/g/h NADH produced from oxidation of FdH₂ per unit biomass per unit time - P dm³/h filtrate flow during biomass recycle operation - PCRP C-mole carbon per C-mole glucose utilized percent of (substrate) carbon recovered in products - R recycle ratio,P/F - SPR mmol/g/h specific production rate - X _imol product/100 mol glucose utilized product yield - Y _ATP g biomass/mol ATP biomass yield on ATP - Y _GLU g biomass/mol glucose biomass yield on glucose - Y _ig biomass/mol biomass yield on nutrienti - h^–1 specific growth rate     

Influence of dilution rate on the morphology and technological properties ofLactobacillus delbrueckii subsp.bulgaricus

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp.bulgaricus ATCC 11842 was grown in a chemostat at 45°C and pH 5.5 using glucose as the carbon source, with the aim of optimizing biomass production. Cells were grown in a complex medium under nitrogen. At dilution rates lower than 0.18h^–1, it was difficult to keep steady-state conditions and pleomorphic forms were observed. The addition of 30mM Ca²⁺ and Mn²⁺ reverted the cells to normal shape: 30mM Mg²⁺ had no effect. Increasing the dilution rate resulted in normal morphology without the addition of any cations. Under these conditions, a maximum productivity of 1.24g dry biomass 1^–1 h^–1 was obtained. The maximum growth yield, corrected for maintenance, was 30g biomass mol^–1 glucose and the maintenance energy was 0.26g glucose g^–1 biomass h^–1. Lactate was the main fermentation product at all glucose concentrations used in the fed medium. Cells grown at high dilution rates had normal technological properties (acid production and proteolysis) when tested in milk.     

Single-cell protein of Rhodotorula sp. Y-38 from ethanol, acetic acid and acetaldehyde

Summary Continuous cultivation of Rhodotorula sp. Y-38 was carried out on ethanol, acetic acid or acetaldehyde. At a feed concentration of 1.0 % (w/v) ethanol, the cell yield of 64 g/100 g ethanol and crude protein of 52 g/100 g biomass were obtained at D=0.5 h^-1. The respective value of the content of amino acids and nucleic acids was 42.6 and 9.4 g/100 g biomass. At 2.0 % (w/v) acetic acid, cell yield was found to be 50 g/100 g acetic acid at D=0.4 h^-1. The optimum dilution rate ranged between 0.3 and 0.4 h^-1. At 0.05 % (w/v) acetaldehyde, the maximum cell yield was obtained at D=0.14 h^-1.     

Fermentation of mannitol by Clostridium butyricum: role of acetate as an external hydrogen acceptor

Summary The continuous fermentation of mannitol (pH 6, dilution rate (D)=0.087 h^-1) by Clostridium butyricum LMG 1213t1 was investigated under several conditions. Mannitol was readily fermented when glucose or acetate were added in the in-flow medium as co-substrate. Butyrate, CO₂ and H₂ were the major fermentation products. In mannitol-glucose mixtures (ratios 4 or 8) the amount of mannitol fermented depended upon the amount of glucose in the in-flow medium. In mannitol-acetate mixtures, 1 mol of acetate was needed for the fermentation of approximately 5.5 mol mannitol. We detected d-mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, responsible for the generation of supplementary reduced nicotine adenine dinucleotide (NADH) as a source for extra H₂ gas. Fermentation of mannitol-acetate in the presence of [¹⁴C]-labelled acetate revealed butyrate as the only labelled fermentation end-product.     

Effect of oxygenation and sulfate concentrations on pyruvate and lactate formation inKlebsiella oxytoca ZS growing in chemostat cultures

Klebsiella oxytoca ZS fermented glucose to ethanol and lactic, formic, and acetic acids, but, in contrast to many strains, accumulates pyruvic and acetic acids as the principal end products in aerobic growth conditions. This strain was grown in sulfate-limited chemostat at a fixed low dilution rate (D=0.033 h^–1) with glucose present in excess. When oxygen was supplied at a high level, pyruvate and acetate were produced, and the ratio NADH/NAD⁺ was low (0.04) while the internal pyruvate concentration increased to 100 mol (g dry wt)^–1. A shortage of oxygen supply was accompanied by lactate production, an increase of the ratio NADH/NAD⁺ (0.53), and an undetectable level in internal pyruvate concentration. The observed changes in LDH activity found in vitro in extracts of the cells are not strictly related to those found in vivo. In fact, the specific activity of LDH was essentially stable at 30% of dissolved oxygen tension (d.o.t.) and decreased slightly at 60% of d.o.t., whereas specific lactic acid production decreased rapidly. The in vitro LDH activity was strongly affected by the NADH/NAD⁺ ratio.     

Physiological properties of Cellulomonas fermentans,a mesophilic cellulolytic bacterium

Summary The fermentation of cellobiose, glucose and cellulose MN 300 by Cellulomonas fermentans was studied. The molar growth yields (i.e. grams of cells per mole of hexose equivalent) were similar on cellobiose and cellulose at low sugar consumption levels (47.8 and 46.5 respectively), but was lower on glucose (38.0). The occurrence of cellobiose phosphorylase activity, detected in cellobiose- and cellulose-grown cells, might explain this result. The specific growth rates measured in cultures on cellobiose, glucose and cellulose were 0.055 h^-1, 0.040 h^-1 and 0.013 h^-1 respectively. Growth inhibition was observed, and a drop in Y_H occurred after relatively low but different quantities of hexose were consumed (2.2 mM, 5 mM and 8 mM hexose equivalent with cellulose, glucose and cellobiose respectively), which coincided with a change in the fermentative metabolism from a typical mixed acid metabolism (1 ethanol, 1 acetate and 2 formate synthesized by consumed hexose) to a more ethanolic fermentation. When growth ceased in cellulose cultures, consumption of cellulose continued, as did production of ethanol.Molar growth yields of C. fermentans were similar in anaerobic and aerobic cellobiose cultures (47.8 g/mol and 42.2 g/mol respectively). Specific growth rates were also quite similar under both culture conditions (0.055±0.013 h^-1 and 0.070±0.007 h^-1 respectively). Aerobic metabolism was studied using ¹⁴C glucose. During the exponential growth phase, acetate, succinate and nonidentified compound(s) accumulated in the supernatant, but no ¹⁴CO₂ was produced. During the stationary phase, acetate was oxidized and ¹⁴CO₂ produced, but without any further biomass synthesis. It seems that a blocking of metabolite oxidation may have occurred in C. fermentans except in the case of acetate, but acetate oxidation was apparently not coupled with production of energy utilizable in biosynthesis.     

Continuous acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation using SO2-ethanol-water spent liquor from spruce

SO₂–ethanol–water (SEW) spent liquor from spruce chips was successfully used for batch and continuous production of acetone, butanol and ethanol (ABE). Initially, batch experiments were performed using spent liquor to check the suitability for production of ABE. Maximum concentration of total ABE was found to be 8.79 g/l using 4-fold diluted SEW liquor supplemented with 35 g/l of glucose. The effect of dilution rate on solvent production, productivity and yield was studied in column reactor consisting of immobilized Clostridium acetobutylicum DSM 792 on wood pulp. Total solvent concentration of 12 g/l was obtained at a dilution rate of 0.21 h⁻¹. The maximum solvent productivity (4.86 g/l h) with yield of 0.27 g/g was obtained at dilution rate of 0.64 h⁻¹. Further, to increase the solvent yield, the unutilized sugars were subjected to batch fermentation.     

Modeling the cucumber fermentation: Growth ofLactobacillus plantarum

Summary Specific growth rate models of product-inhibited cell growth exist but are rarely applied to fermentations beyond ethanol and large-scale antibiotic production. The present paper summarizes experimental data and the development of a model for growth of the commercially important bacterium,Lactobacillus plantarum, in cucumber juice. The model provides an excellent correlation of data for the influence on bacterial growth rate of NaCl, protons (H⁺), and the neutral, inhibitory forms of acetic acid and the fermentation product, lactic acid. The effects of each of the variables are first modeled separately using established functional forms and then combined in the final model formulation.Nomenclature [C] inhibitory component concentration, mM - [C]_max concentration of the inhibitory component where the specific growth rate is zero, mM, determined by model fitting - [H⁺] hydrogen ion concentration, mM - [HLa] undissociated lactic acid concentration, mM - [La^–] dissociated lactic acid concentration, mM - [La_t] total lactic acid ([HLa]+[La^–]) concentration, mM - [HAc] undissociated acetic acid concentration, mM - [Ac^–] dissociated acetic acid concentration, mM - [Ac_t] total acetic acid ([HAc]+[Ac^–]) concentration, mM - [NaCl] sodium chloride concentration, %, w/v - specific growth rate, h^–1 - _max maximum specific growth rate, h^–1 - ₀ specific growth rate, h^–1, at 0 concentration of additive - K _ij inhibition coefficient - , ,K _m coefficients determined by model fitting Mention of a trademark or proprietary product does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the US Department of Agriculture or North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, nor does it imply approval to the exclusion of other products that may be suitable.