title: Quantification of the degree of acclimation of a mixed culture to an industrial landfill leachate.
abstract: Quantification of the degree of acclimation of a mixed culture is demonstrated. An industrial landfill leachate was used as a model mixed substrate. The biodegradable fraction, the specific rate of substrate uptake, and the apparent reaction order were measured. The method of acclimation did not appear to affect the biodegradable fraction. The apparent reaction order is shown to be related to the difference between the rates of uptake of the various leachate components. This difference is defined as the differential in the rate. The effects of a supple mental carbon source and different inocula were investigated. Addition of glucose tends to diminish the differential but also decreases the specific rate of substrate uptake. The outcome of an acclimation procedure is dependent on the quality of the inoculum; however, a poor inoculum does not preclude an acclimation that yields a superior culture. A normalized rate coefficient is shown to have merit as an indicator of the degree of acclimation. Two microorganisms were isolated, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var. Iwoffi and Moraxella sp., that could grow axenically with the leachate as their sole source of carbon. Comparisons are made between pure and mixed cultures with regard to biodegradable fraction, specific rate of substrate uptake, and apparent reaction order.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, PO Box 909, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ahlert