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Bioflocculation as a microbial response to substrate limitations.

B E Logan1, J R Hunt

  • 1Department of Civil Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721.

Biotechnology and Bioengineering
|February 5, 1988
PubMed
Summary
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Microbial bioflocculation enhances nutrient uptake in bioreactors, contrary to previous theories. Fluid flow within permeable microbial flocs significantly increases substrate transport to cells, especially for large molecules and with bubble presence.

Area of Science:

  • Microbial Ecology
  • Biochemical Engineering
  • Environmental Science

Background:

  • Traditional models assumed molecular diffusion limits nutrient transport in microbial flocs, predicting reduced uptake compared to dispersed cells.
  • Bioflocculation in bioreactors often occurs under low substrate conditions, implying mass transfer limitations govern substrate uptake rates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of fluid flow on nutrient transport within microbial flocs.
  • To compare substrate uptake rates of cells within flocs to those of dispersed cells under various hydrodynamic conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a relative uptake factor to quantify nutrient transport.
  • Modeled fluid flow through highly permeable bacterial flocs.
  • Compared uptake in sheared fluids and bubble-attached flocs versus dispersed cells.

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Main Results:

  • Substantial fluid flow occurs in highly permeable microbial flocs, challenging diffusion-based theories.
  • Bioflocculation increases substrate transport rates to cells within permeable flocs compared to dispersed cells.
  • This enhancement is particularly significant for large-molecular-weight substrates and in the presence of bubbles.

Conclusions:

  • Fluid flow dynamics within microbial flocs are critical for nutrient supply.
  • Bioflocculation can enhance microbial substrate uptake, improving bioreactor efficiency.
  • Understanding hydrodynamic conditions is key to optimizing microbial processes involving flocs.