In situ determination of kinetic parameters for biofilms: Isolation and characterization of oligotrophic biofilms.
This article develops and utilizes an in situ technique to estimate the Monod half-maximum rate concentration, K(s) and the maximum specific utilization rate constant, k, for biofilms. The technique employs a curve-matching method with kinetic results from several short-term experiments with completely mixed biofilm reactors. Use of the in situ method eliminates the two drawbacks of using conventional suspended-growth measurements to characterize biofilm: possible alteration of cell physiology and a major investment to run the suspended-growth tests. Results with five cultures of biofilm-forming oligotrophs demonstrated the in situ technique and supported the hypothesis that K(s) values were lower for the biofilm oligotrophs than for typical copiotrophs.
Environmental Engineering and Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 208 North Romine Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801.
B E
BE
Rittmann
L
L
Crawford
C K
CK
Tuck
E
E
Namkung