Quantifying growth kinetics of Phanerochaete chrysosporium immobilised on a vertically orientated polysulphone capillary membrane : biofilm development and substrate consumption

Growth kinetics is one of the most important and critical parameters for studying biofilms as they can be used to model mass transfer and biological reactions. Growth parameters of Phanerochaete chrysosporium were quantified based on the utilisation rate of glucose and biofilm generated in single fibre capillary membrane bioreactors (SFCMBR) operated vertically at 37 ◦C for 264 h. The growth rate constant value of 0.0348 h−1 was used to model the dry biofilm density profile, which was also classified as equivalent to the specific growth rate. The mass of glucose consumed, increased from 0.051 g/day during the lag phase, to 0.145 g/day in the secondary growth phase. An average glucose consumption rate of 94.0 g/m3 h was determined over the period of 264 h. The average glucose-based growth yield coefficient of approximately 0.202 g biofilm/g glucose was determined. The primary growth phase reached a structural equilibrium (steady state) at an average density of 9.7E05 g/m3 in the period 168–216 h, with the secondary growth phase occurring after 216 h. The glucose maintenance coefficient value of 0.028 h−1, was obtained during the biofilm structural equilibrium phase