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The redox potential: Its use and control in biotechnology

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Advances in Biochemical Engineering, Volume 7

Part of the book series: Advances in Biochemical Engineering ((ABE,volume 7))

Abstract

This review describes the theory for and the measurement of the redox potential and the use and control of redox potential in biotechnology.

The theory for the redox potential from a thermodynamic point of view is outlined and the reasons for that the measurement of the redox potential is only an indication of the oxidative status in a complex medium as e.g. growth media in which several reactions take place is mentioned. The works concerning redox potential in microbial and various biochemical systems and in soil science that has been published during the last five years are reviewed and the possibility of establishing biochemical fuel cells is discussed. Furthermore the few works concerning regulation by means of the redox potential are reviewed. It is concluded that although the reactions that determine the redox potential in biochemical systems are complex and almost unknown the redox potential may be a parameter which can give valuable information about the metabolism taking place in microbial cultures.

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  1. Department of Applied Biochemistry, The Technical University of Denmark, Block 223, DK-2800, Lyngby, Denmark

    L. Kjaergaard

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  1. L. Kjaergaard
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© 1977 Springer-Verlag

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Kjaergaard, L. (1977). The redox potential: Its use and control in biotechnology. In: Advances in Biochemical Engineering, Volume 7. Advances in Biochemical Engineering, vol 7. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0048444

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0048444

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-08397-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-37196-0

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