Microbial Growth: Biomass and Nutrient Limitation

This lecture covers the growth of microbial populations, focusing on the increase in cell numbers, biomass growth in closed and continuous systems, the impact of biomass recirculation, nutrient limitation, and the influence of environmental factors. It also discusses methods for determining cell numbers, such as microscopy and flow cytometry, as well as the application of these techniques in water analysis. The lecture delves into the concept of biomass growth in bioreactors, emphasizing the measurement of biomass through direct and indirect methods. It explores the kinetics of substrate consumption, the Monod equation, and the relationship between growth rate and substrate concentration.