Microbial Growth: Understanding Environmental Microbiology

This lecture provides an in-depth overview of microbial growth within environmental microbiology. It begins with an introduction to the fundamental concepts of microbial growth and enzyme kinetics. The instructor discusses the growth rate in relation to dilution rates and the limitations of growing bacteria in a chemostat. Key points include the dependency of biomass concentration on substrate concentration and the importance of continuous cultivation methods, both with and without biomass recirculation, particularly in wastewater treatment. The lecture also covers the nutritional requirements for microbial growth, including macronutrients, trace elements, and growth factors. The law of minimum is introduced, explaining how one nutrient can limit biomass production. The discussion extends to carbon and nitrogen limitations in growth experiments, emphasizing the significance of the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. Finally, the lecture highlights the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and the implications of dual nutrient limitations in continuous culture systems.