| Abstract: | A general equation is proposed to evaluate the absolute error that affects the maximum specific growth rate calculated from batch or continuous experiments. This error depends on the relative errors of the cell concentration measurements and on the duration of the test.Nomenclature X1 Cell concentration at the beginning of the exponential growth phase or of the washing-out period - X 1 Lowest value of X1 due to experimental errors - X 1 Highest value of X1 due to experimental errors - X2 Cell concentration at the end of the exponential growth phse or of the washing-out period - X2 Lowest value of X2 due to experimental errors - X2 Highest value of X2 due to experiment errors -  Relative error that affects X1 -  Relative error that affects X2 -  t Exponential growth stage or washing-out duration -  Asolute error that affects - Maximum specific growth rate - 1 Lowest value of due to experimental errors - 2 Highest value of due to experimental errorsThe author is with the Instituto Mauá de Technologia, Estrada das Lágrimas 2035, 09580-900, São Caetano do Sul, SP, Brazil |
