CHE 46: Biochemical Engineering

Lecture 3: Stoichiometry of Microbial Growth and Product Formation

Karl Adrian Gandionco

College of Engineering
Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan
Stoichiometry of Microbial Growth and Product Formation

I. Important Quantities and their Definitions

II. Stoichiometric Calculations

a. Elemental Balances
b. Degree of Reduction

III. Theoretical Predictions of Yield Coefficients

Important Quantities and their Definitions
For microbes, growth is their most essential response to their physiochemical environment. In a suitable
nutrient medium, organisms extract nutrients from the medium and convert them into biological
compounds. Part of these nutrients are used for energy production and part are used for biosynthesis
and product formation. As a result of nutrient utilization, microbial mass increases with time and can be
described simply by

Yield coefficients are defined based on the amount of consumption of another material.

A maintenance coefficient is used to describe the specific rate of substrate uptake for cellular
maintenance
Important Quantities and their Definitions

Ideal Chemostat
Important Quantities and their Definitions

Ideal Chemostat
Important Quantities and their Definitions
Summary of Yield Factors for Aerobic Growth of Different
Microorganisms on Various Carbon Sources
Important Quantities and their Definitions
Growth Parameters of Some Organisms Growing
Anaerobically in a Chemostat

ATP Yields in Various Growth Media

Important Quantities and their Definitions
Stoichiometric Calculations
Elemental Balances

Respiratory quotient (RQ)

Stoichiometric Calculations

Data on Elemental Composition of Several Microorganisms

Stoichiometric Calculations

Degree of Reduction
Stoichiometric Calculations

Degree of Reduction Energy Balance for Aerobic Growth

Example Problem 1
Example Problem 1
Example Problem 1
Example Problem 1

The growth yield on more reduced

substrate (hexadecane) is higher than that
on partially oxidized substrate (glucose),
assuming that two-thirds of all the entering
carbon is incorporated in cellular
structures. However, the oxygen yield on
glucose is higher than that on the
hexadecane, since glucose is partially
oxidized.
Theoretical Predictions of Yield Coefficients

In aerobic fermentations, the growth yield per available electron in oxygen molecules is approximately
3.14 ± 0.11 g dw cells/electron when ammonia is used as the nitrogen source. The number of available
electrons per oxygen molecule (O2) is four. When the number of oxygen molecules per mole of substrate
consumed is known, the growth yield coefficient, YX/S, can easily be calculated.

The ATP yield (YX/ATP) in many anaerobic fermentations is approximately 10.5 ± 2 gdw cells/mol ATP.
In aerobic fermentations, this yield varies between 6 and 29. When the energy yield of a metabolic
pathway is known (N moles of ATP produced per gram of substrate consumed), the growth yield YX/S
can be calculated using the following equation:
Example Problem 2
Example Problem 2
References

1. Shuler, M. L., & Kargi, F. (2002). Bioprocess engineering: Basic concepts. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall.

1. Bailey, J.E. and Ollis, D.F. (1986). Biochemical Engineering Fundamentals (2nd Edition). Mc-Graw
Hill, Inc.
 Any Questions?

Should you have any questions regarding the lecture material, please feel free to contact me through my XU
email address. You can also post your questions on our eLearn virtual classroom by creating a discussion forum
on the main course section.

Thank you!