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An apparatus and method for anaerobic and aerobic respirometry. The apparatus and method provide for automatically collecting and analyzing the data required to calibrate mathematical models for bioprocesses that involve anaerobic respiration, aerobic respiration and dehalogenation. Dissolved electr

An apparatus and method for anaerobic and aerobic respirometry. The apparatus and method provide for automatically collecting and analyzing the data required to calibrate mathematical models for bioprocesses that involve anaerobic respiration, aerobic respiration and dehalogenation. Dissolved electron-acceptor concentrations and/or product concentrations and/or headspace pressures are automatically monitored during the progress of a biotransformation occurring in a batch reactor to produce a data set. The data set is analyzed to derive intrinsic kinetic parameters and stoichiometric coefficients. The cultures biocatalyzing the oxidation-reduction reactions of interest may be aerobic, denitrifying (e.g., nitrate-reducing), sulfate reducing and/or methanogenic. The models thus developed may be used for design of wastewater treatment or bioremediation processes.

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[ We claim:] [1.] An apparatus for respirometry comprisingat least one chamber adapted to provide an anaerobic environment for batch culture of a microorganism in a liquid, said microorganism capable of consuming a dissolved electron acceptor other than molecular oxygen during growth on a substrate

[ We claim:] [1.] An apparatus for respirometry comprisingat least one chamber adapted to provide an anaerobic environment for batch culture of a microorganism in a liquid, said microorganism capable of consuming a dissolved electron acceptor other than molecular oxygen during growth on a substrate having a known initial and a measured final substrate concentration to produce suspended biomass;means for sensing the concentration of said dissolved electron acceptor in said liquid, said means for sensing the concentration of said dissolved electron acceptor having a first output;means for measuring the concentration of said suspended biomass at the beginning and at the end of said growth, said means for measuring the concentration of said suspended biomass having a second output; andmeans for converting said first output and said second output into kinetic and stoichiometric bioprocess model parameters. [10.] A method for anaerobic respirometry comprising the steps ofadapting at least one chamber to provide an anaerobic environment for batch culture of a microorganism in a liquid, said microorganism capable of consuming a dissolved electron acceptor other than molecular oxygen during growth on a substrate having a known initial substrate concentration and a measured final substrate concentration to produce suspended biomass;sensing the concentration of said dissolved electron acceptor other than molecular oxygen in said liquid with a means for sensing having a first output;measuring the concentration of said suspended biomass at the beginning and at the end of said growth with a means for measuring having a second output; andconverting said first output and said second output into kinetic and stoichiometric bioprocess model parameters,wherein the concentration of said dissolved electron acceptor is sensed at least one hundred times more than the concentration of said substrate is measured. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of monitoring and controlling the temperature of said environment. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of monitoring and controlling the pH of said liquid. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps ofsensing the concentration of a dissolved product produced by said microorganism in said liquid with means for sensing the concentration of a dissolved product and converting said concentration of a dissolved product into other than chemical oxygen demand (COD) units, said means for sensing the concentration of a dissolved product having a third output; andconverting said third output into said bioprocess model parameters. The method of claim 13 wherein said means for sensing the concentration of a dissolved product comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting ofan ion-selective electrode,a pH electrode,a oxidation-reduction potential electrode, andan ion chromatograph. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps ofexecuting a first set of instructions for execution in a computing device for providing a user interface;executing a second set of instructions for execution in said computing device for collecting, organizing and reporting said first output;executing a third set of instructions for execution in said computing device for using said first output for calibrating a bioprocess model. The method of claim 15 wherein said bioprocess model is at least one model selected from the group consisting ofa metabolism model, anda cometabolism model. The method of claim 10 wherein said model parameters are selected from the group consisting ofa maximum specific growth rate,a half saturation constant,a maintenance coefficient,an inhibition coefficient, anda true growth yield. A method for anaerobic respirometry comprising the steps ofproviding an environment for batch culture of a microorganism in a liquid, said microorganism capable of consuming a dissolved sulfate as an electron acceptor during growth on a substrate to produce suspended biomass; sensing the concentration of said dissolved electron acceptor during said growth and producing a first output;determining the concentration of said substrate at the beginning of said growth with means for producing substrate data;measuring the concentration of said suspended biomass at the end of said growth with means for producing biomass data; andconverting said first output, said substrate data and said biomass data into kinetic and stoichiometric bioprocess model parameters. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step ofmonitoring and controlling said concentration of said dissolved electron acceptor by adding said electron acceptor to said liquid.