Impact of light quality and quantity on growth rate kinetics of Selenastrum capricornutum

Microalgal biomass produced in indoor photobioreactors can be used as inoculum for large‐scale outdoor cultures or directly for the production of high‐value bioproducts due to the higher control of these cultures compared with outdoor systems. One of the main costs of indoor microalgal cultures is the illumination. This work can be used as a basis for the optimization of the light source for indoor microalgal biomass production, based on the light source type, irradiance, productivity, growth rate, attenuation coefficients, and contaminant growth on the reactor's side‐walls. Four commercially available near 400‐W artificial light sources for microalgal cultures (metal halide (MH), high‐pressure sodium (HPS), Son Agro^®, and fluorescent) were compared. The light elevation and the surface scalar irradiance were shown to have a linear relationship. The attenuation coefficient in air (k_a) was highest with Son Agro^®. A linear partition of the attenuation coefficient between the water and biomass and an exponential relationship between average scalar irradiance and depth were found. An empirical overall scalar attenuation coefficient for each light source was obtained. The lowest maximum observed growth rate was obtained with fluorescent light (0.98 d^?1) and the highest with Son Agro^® (2.39 d^?1). The highest growth on the reactor's wall was obtained with Son Agro^®. Further studies resulted in a higher maximum specific growth rate and optimum irradiance for HPS (2.37 d^?1 and 460 μmol s^?1 m^?2) compared with those observed with MH (1.73 d^?1 and 391 μmol s^?1 m^?2).     

Biological hydrogen production by the algal biomass Chlorella vulgaris MSU 01 strain isolated from pond sediment

Chlorella vulgaris MSU 01 strain isolated from the sediment of the pond is able to produce molecular hydrogen in a clean way. To relate the dynamic coupling between the cultural conditions and biological responses, an original lab scale set up has been developed for hydrogen production. Different sources like mannitol, glucose, alanine, citric acid, aspartic acid, l-alanine, l-cysteine, sodium succinate and sodium pyruvate were used for algal media optimization. Corn stalk, from 1 to 5 g/L was tested for the effective algal growth and hydrogen production. The cell concentration of 1.6-19 g/L dry cell weight (DCW) was found at the 10th day. The kinetic parameters involved in the hydrogen production at 4 g/L corn stalk using the algal inoculum (50 mL) in the bioreactor volume (500 mL) was found to be with the hydrogen production potential (P_s) of 7.784 mL and production yield of (P_r) 5.534 mL respectively. The growth profile of the algal biomass at the above mentioned condition expressed the logistic model with R² 0.9988. The final pH of the broth was increased from 7.0 to 8.5-8.7. The anaerobic fermentation by C. vulgaris MSU 01 strain involved in the conversion process of complex carbon source has increased the H₂ evolution rate and higher butyrate concentration in the fermentate.     

Delayed inoculation and starter nitrogen for enhancing early growth and nitrogen status ofLespedeza cuneata

Summary Two growth chamber experiments were conducted to determine the response ofLespedeza cuneata (Dumont) G. Don. (sericea lespedeza) to delayed inoculation and low levels of nitrogen fertilization. Nitrogen was supplied either as NH ₄ ⁺ or as NO ₃ ^– in solution. At 0.5 and 5.0 ppm nitrogen early growth and N₂(C₂H₂) fixation was inhibited by NH ₄ ⁺ and promoted by NO ₃ ^– . Inoculation at seeding did not negatively affect growth prior to the onset of N₂(C₂H₂) fixation. Delayed inoculation until the trifoliate stage thus did not increase growth or N₂ fixation during the first 40 days of growth. After 40 days, specific nitrogenase activity was highest for plants inoculated at the first trifoliate stage of growth. In contrast, growth and total shoot nitrogen accumulation were higher in plants inoculated at planting. The experimental results suggest that delaying inoculation is not a useful technique for improving early growth ofL. cuneata for surface mine reclamation.     

Growth of Penicillium janthinellum on glycine as sole carbon and nitrogen source

Penicillium janthinellum is able to grow on glycine as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. The amino acid is transaminated to glyoxylate which is further metabolised to pyruvate by the glycerate pathway. The reaction product of partially purified glycerate kinase from this fungus is 2-phosphoglycerate. Phosphoglycerate mutase initiates gluconeogenesis from glycine. Partially purified phosphoglycerate mutase is inhibited by fructose 6-phosphate. The possible significance of this regulation is discussed.     

Biodegradation Kinetics of Four Substituted Chlorobenzoic Acids by Enterobacter aerogenes

Enterobacter aerogenes is generally found in soil, sewage plants, and human gastrointestinal tract. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the ability of Enterobacter aerogenes to degrade four chlorobenzoic acid compounds (2-chlorobenzoic acid (2-CBA), 3-chlorobenzoic acid (3-CBA), 4-chlorobenzoic acid (4-CBA), and 3,4-dichlorobenzoic acid (3,4-dCBA)) in minimal salt medium. Enterobacter aerogenes was partially able to degrade and dechlorinate these CBAs at concentration of 3.5 mM within 72 h of incubation. According to Haldane single-substrate model, the values of maximum predicted growth rate (μ_max), half saturation constant (K _s), and inhibition constant (K _i) fell in the range of 0.2–0.8 h^?1, 8–41 mM, and 5–53 mM, respectively. Based on the estimated values of both α, a growth-associated constant, and β, a non–growth-associated constant, the production of chloride was predominantly growth associated, since negligible values of the β were determined. Haldane model gave a good prediction of the CBA substrate utilization and degradation, and was in a very good agreement with the experimental data. Because of the capability of Enterobacter aerogenes to utilize these aromatic compounds as carbon and energy sources, this microorganism can be a valuable and promising candidate for use in the biotreatment of wastewater and soil samples contaminated with mixtures of chlorobenzoates.     

长期施肥对红壤微生物生物量碳氮和微生物碳源利用的影响

采集湖南省祁阳县红壤长期定位施肥19年的土壤样品,分析长期不同施肥红壤的微生物生物量碳、氮和微生物碳源利用率,以揭示长期施肥对红壤微生物学性状的影响.结果表明：施肥19年后,有机肥单施或与化肥配合施用均显著提高土壤微生物生物量碳、氮和微生物碳源利用率.单施有机肥的土壤微生物生物量碳、氮含量分别为231和81 mg·kg^-1,化肥有机肥配施分别为148和73 mg·kg^-1,均显著高于化肥配施秸秆、不施肥和单施化肥;施用有机肥和化肥配施秸秆的土壤微生物生物量氮占全氮的比例平均为6.0%,显著高于单施化肥和不施肥.Biolog-ECO分析中,平均吸光值(AWCD)的大小为：化肥有机肥配施、单施有机肥>对照>单施化肥、化肥配施秸秆.单施有机肥或与化肥有机肥配施增加了红壤微生物对碳水化合物、羧酸、氨基酸、聚合物、酚类和胺类的碳源利用率;化肥配施有机肥的红壤微生物对聚合物类碳源利用率最高,化肥配施秸秆的红壤微生物对碳水化合物类碳源的利用率最高.表明施用有机肥能显著提高红壤的微生物生物量碳、氮和微生物碳源利用率,提高红壤肥力,保持作物高产.