ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Effect of formaldehyde on kinetics of glucose consumption

K. Dercová, J. Derco, M. Hutňan, and M. Králik

Department of Biochemical Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Slovak Technical University, CS-812 37 Bratislava

Abstract: The effect of formaldehyde on kinetics of biomass growth and consump­tion of glucose by yeasts Candida tropicalis CC Y 29-7-33 has been inves­tigated. For modelling of kinetics of biomass growth and consumption of the substrate the models according to Monod, Contois, and Andrews were applied. The parameters of kinetic equations were determined using the combined explicit and implicit Euler method. To determine the minimum of the chosen function the simplex method of determination of the minimum of a nonlinear function with several variables without limitations was uti­lized. Of the models used to describe the kinetics of the process studied, the equation after Contois suited best. Comparable results were obtained also with the Monod's model. The results revealed the evident inhibitory effect of formaldehyde on growth of the biomass and consumption of the substrate. Increase of formaldehyde concentration was accompanied by de­crease of specific growth rate values and increase of saturation constant values.

Full paper in Portable Document Format: 431a41.pdf

Chemical Papers 43 (1) 41–50 (1989)