Effects of polymer additives on fermentation parameters in a culture ofA. niger

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Of 24 different polymer and surfactant materials examined, a carboxypolymethylene (“Carbopol”) was found to cause enhancement of respiration rates in anAspergillus nigerculture by as much as 200%. Enhancement of other fermentation parameters, such as cellular growth and amylase production, was also observed.The enhancement effects of Carbopol were examined with clusters of spores and mold pellets. In the first case, it appears that the ionized carboxyl groups of Carbopol induced electrostatic repulsion among the spores thus initiating pulp growth with increased interfacial area of contact between the mold and the nutrient medium. In the second case, the Carbopol additive formed a thin film attached to the surface of the pellets which seemed to be responsible for an increased rate of potassium transport and, hence, fermentation yields. Additive utilization as substrate and physiological changes in the culture were not observed in these cases.It was also found that the probability of pellet formation, the size of pellets formed, and the number of spores per pellet can be correlated to the energy input to the fermentation system.

This publication has 15 references indexed in Scilit: