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FERMENTATION PROCESS MONITORING THROUGH MEASUREMENT OF AEROSOL RELEASE
Citation:
Huang, Y., K. Wilke, A. Juozaitus, J. Donnely, A. Leeson, AND R. Wyza. FERMENTATION PROCESS MONITORING THROUGH MEASUREMENT OF AEROSOL RELEASE. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-94/144.
Description:
Fermentation involves many complex biological processes some of which are sometimes difficult to monitor. n this study, aerosol measurement was explored as an additional technique for monitoring a batch aerobic fermentation process using Escherichia coli strain W3110. sing this technique, a small aerosol extraction flow from the fermenter was continuously dried in-line and analyzed with an aerosol size spectrometer and an aerosol photometer, used to measure the size-integrated aerosol concentration. he results of the measurements demonstrated that the bacterial growth rate and the aerosol number concentration changed in a similar fashion, the effluent aerosol number concentration increased during the exponential growth phase, and subsequently decreased after the bacterial cell concentration had reached a stable level. his aerosol concentration increased sharply approximately on hour after initiation of growth. hus, this increase in aerosol concentration suggests that the release of aerosols changes as a function of the microbial product formation activity. he products may change the rheological properties of the liquid, especially if surface-active compounds are produced. he increase in aerosol concentration corresponded to a decrease in the values of the measured surface tension during the same time frame. urthermore, the aerosol size spectrometer and the photometer showed similar time traces of the effluent aerosols. he size distributions of the solid residues from the fermentation broth remained relatively constant, while the concentrations changed with the phase of fermentation. s the photometer is an nexpensive instrument, it ppears promising as a conv. inst. for monitoring.