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Multiplying steady-state culture in multi-reactor system

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Abstract

Cultivation of microorganisms in batch experiments is fast and economical but the conditions therein change constantly, rendering quantitative data interpretation difficult. By using chemostat with controlled environmental conditions the physiological state of microorganisms is fixed; however, the unavoidable stabilization phase makes continuous methods resource consuming. Material can be spared by using micro scale devices, which however have limited analysis and process control capabilities. Described herein are a method and a system combining the high throughput of batch with the controlled environment of continuous cultivations. Microorganisms were prepared in one bioreactor followed by culture distribution into a network of bioreactors and continuation of independent steady state experiments therein. Accelerostat cultivation with statistical analysis of growth parameters demonstrated non-compromised physiological state following distribution, thus the method effectively multiplied steady state culture of microorganisms. The theoretical efficiency of the system was evaluated in inhibitory compound analysis using repeated chemostat to chemostat transfers.

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Acknowledgments

The financial support for this work was provided by the European Regional Development Fund project EU29994; Ministry of Education, Estonia, through the grant IUT1927 and Estonian Science Foundation through grant G9192.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Competence Center of Food and Fermentation Technologies, Tallinn, Estonia

    Sten Erm, Kaarel Adamberg & Raivo Vilu

  2. Department of Chemistry, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, Tallinn, Estonia

    Sten Erm, Kaarel Adamberg & Raivo Vilu

  3. Department of Food Processing, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, Tallinn, Estonia

    Kaarel Adamberg

Authors
  1. Sten Erm
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  2. Kaarel Adamberg
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  3. Raivo Vilu
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Correspondence to Sten Erm.

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Erm, S., Adamberg, K. & Vilu, R. Multiplying steady-state culture in multi-reactor system. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 37, 2361–2370 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-014-1214-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-014-1214-5

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