Evaluation of relative growth limitation due to depletion of glucose and oxygen during fungal growth on a spherical solid particle

• Published in: Chemical engineering science Vol. 50; no. 5; pp. 803 - 811
• Main Authors: Rajagopalan, S., Modak, Jayant M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1995; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biofilms; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Diffusion; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucose; Growth kinetics; Hydrolysis; Mass transfer; Mathematical models; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Microbial engineering. Fermentation and microbial culture technology; Oxygen; Particles (particulate matter); Spheres; Substrates; Fungi; Microorganism growth; Oxygen; Limiting factor; Biofilm; Microorganism culture; Solid substrate fermentation; Solid particle; Glucose; Mathematical model; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0009-2509; 1873-4405
• DOI: 10.1016/0009-2509(94)00452-W

A mathematical model for glucose and oxygen consumption, and cell growth during fungal growth on a single solid particle is developed. A moving biofilm is assumed to be present on the surface of the solid particle. Initially only glucose is assumed to be growth limiting and later oxygen transferred from the gas phase on to the biofilm is also assumed to be growth limiting. Glucose is found to be severely growth limiting when assumed to be the only growth limiting factor and its limiting levels far less severe when oxygen limitation is also included. The objective of the model is to gain a better understanding of the mass transfer and relative growth limiting characteristics of glucose and oxygen in fungal growth systems. The results obtained from the model proposed here will be the subject of future work.