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Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Vol.59, No.4-5, 605-608, 2002
Kinetics of soluble microbial product formation in substrate-sufficient batch culture of activated sludge
The kinetics of soluble microbial product (SMP) formation under substrate-sufficient conditions appear to exhibit different patterns from substrate-limited cultures. However, energy spilling-associated SMP formation is not taken into account in the existing kinetic models and classification of SMP. Based on the concepts of growth yield and energy uncoupling, a kinetic model describing energy spilling-associated SMP formation in relation to the ratio of initial substrate concentration to initial biomass concentration (S-0/X-0) was developed for substrate-sufficient batch culture of activated sludge, and was verified by experimental data. The specific rate of energy spilling-associated SMP formation showed an increasing trend with the S-0/X-0 ratio up to its maximum value. The SMP productivity coefficient (alpha(p/e)) was defined from the model on the basis of energy spilling-associated substrate consumption. Results revealed that less than 5% of energy spilling-associated substrate consumption was converted into SMP.