Summary
As shown in earlier studies in production scale bioreactors oxygen limited zones occur. Microorganisms in these reactors are therefore subjected to concentrations of oxygen varying with time. To simulate these conditions, the effect of low oxygen concentrations upon product formation and kinetics of oxygen of Gluconobacter oxydans are studied at laboratory scale.
Under these oxygen limited conditions comparable kinetic parameters for oxygen are observed as under normally aerated conditions.
So, a saturation constant for oxygen K O 2=6.9 μmol/l is observed, which is equivalent to a DOT value of about 3% of air saturation.
For optimization purposes of production scale conditions, gassing with oxygen enriched air or with pure oxygen is one of the possibilities.
To study the effect of high oxygen concentrations upon kinetics and product formation, the organisms are also cultivated under these extreme conditions. Although at oxygen concentrations larger then 60% saturation with pure oxygen, still growth was observed, the growth rate and also the product formation rate were strongly diminished.
From these experiments it can be concluded that gassing with pure oxygen to achieve higher oxygen transfer rates at production scale will be restricted.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Batzing BL, Claus GW (1973) Fine structural changes of Acetobacter suboxydans during growth in a defined medium. J Bacteriol 113:1455–1461
Esener AA (1981) An engineering study of bacterial kinetics and energetics. Ph. D. Thesis, Delft University of Technology
Fish NM, Vardar F, Lilly MD (1981) Effect of dissolved gas concentrations on microbial product formation. Abstr Comm Sec Eur Cong Biotechnol, Eastbourne, Great-Britain
Harrison DEF (1972) Physiological effects of dissolved oxygen tension and redox potential on growing populations of micro-organisms. J Appl Chem Biotechnol 22:417–440
Humphrey AE, Reilly PJ (1965) Kinetic studies of the gluconic acid fermentation. Biotechnol Bioeng 7:229–243
Longmuir IS (1954) Respiration rate of bacteria as a function of oxygen concentration. Biochem J 57:81–87
Olijve W, Kok JJ (1979a) An analysis of growth of Gluconobacter oxydans in glucose containing media. Arch Microbiol 121:283–290
Olijve W, Kok JJ (1979b) An analysis of growth of Gluconobacter oxydans in chemostat cultures. Arch Microbiol 121:219–297
Oosterhuis NMG, Kossen NWF (1983) Oxygen transfer in a production scale bioreactor. Chem Eng Res Des (Trans Inst Chem Eng) 61:308–312
Oosterhuis NMG, Kossen NWF (1984) Dissolved oxygen concentration profiles in a production scale bioreactor. Biotechnol Bioeng XXVI:546–550
Robinson J, Cooper JM (1970) Method of determining oxygen concentrations in biological media, suitable for calibration of the oxygen electrode. Anal Biochem 33:390–399
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Oosterhuis, N.M.G., Groesbeek, N.M., Kossen, N.W.F. et al. Influence of dissolved oxygen concentration on the oxygen kinetics of Gluconobacter oxydans . Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 21, 42–49 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00252360
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00252360