Growth, CO₂ consumption and H₂ production of Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413-U under different irradiances and CO₂ concentrations

• Published in: Journal of applied microbiology 2008, Vol.104 (1), p.105-121
• Main Authors: Berberoğlu, H, Barra, N, Pilon, L, Jay, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anabaena variabilis - growth & development; Anabaena variabilis - metabolism; Bioreactors - microbiology; Carbon Dioxide - metabolism; carbon dioxide mitigation; Cyanobacteria; Hydrogen - metabolism; Industrial Microbiology; Light; Models, Biological; Models, Statistical; Oxygen - metabolism; photobiological hydrogen
• ISSN: 1364-5072; 1365-2672
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2007.03559.x

The objective of this study is to develop kinetic models based on batch experiments describing the growth, CO₂ consumption, and H₂ production of Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413-UTM as functions of irradiance and CO₂ concentration. A parametric experimental study is performed for irradiances from 1120 to 16100 lux and for initial CO₂ mole fractions from 0·03 to 0·20 in argon at pH 7·0 ± 0·4 with nitrate in the medium. Kinetic models are successfully developed based on the Monod model and on a novel scaling analysis employing the CO₂ consumption half-time as the time scale. Monod models predict the growth, CO₂ consumption and O₂ production within 30%. Moreover, the CO₂ consumption half-time is an appropriate time scale for analysing all experimental data. In addition, the optimum initial CO₂ mole fraction is 0·05 for maximum growth and CO₂ consumption rates. Finally, the saturation irradiance is determined to be 5170 lux for CO₂ consumption and growth whereas, the maximum H₂ production rate occurs around 10 000 lux. The study presents kinetic models predicting the growth, CO₂ consumption and H₂ production of A. variabilis. The experimental and scaling analysis methods can be generalized to other micro-organisms.