Mass transfer in aerated culture media combining mixed electrolytes and glucose

• Published in: Bioprocess and biosystems engineering 2021, Vol.44 (1), p.81-92
• Main Authors: Góngora-García, Oscar R., Aca-Aca, Gloria, Baz-Rodríguez, Sergio A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aeration; Aqueous solutions; Biotechnology; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coalescence; Coalescing; Crystallization; Culture media; Electrolytes; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Food Science; Glucose; Industrial and Production Engineering; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Ionic strength; Mass transfer; Oxygen transfer; Physicochemical properties; Research Paper
• ISSN: 1615-7591; 1615-7605
• DOI: 10.1007/s00449-020-02424-3

The combined effects of mixed electrolyte species and glucose on oxygen transfer were studied in a bubble column with aqueous solutions. Of particular interest was the presence of electrolytes containing ions which are prone to present solute–solute interactions or to crystallize. Without and at low concentration of glucose (≤ 5 g/L), the increasing concentration of electrolytes (nominal ionic strength: 0–0.43 M), up to a critical value, enhanced the volumetric mass transfer coefficient ( k L a ) and the availability of specific interfacial area ( a ), due to the inhibition of bubble coalescence. As the glucose concentration increased (10–40 g/L), the enhancing effects of electrolytes were gradually lost. The glucose interacted with electrolytes, reducing their ability to inhibit coalescence and to enhance the k L a . Salt crystallization occurred independently of the addition of glucose; however, it did not have significant effect on mass transfer. Finally, the changes in physicochemical properties were highly collinear with composition variables.