Evaluation of various unstructured kinetic models for the production of protease by Bacillus sphaericus MTTC511

Abstract

Bacillus sphaericus MTCC511 was used for the production of protease in submerged batch fermentation. Maximum protease activity of 1010 U/L was obtained during a fermentation period of 24 h under optimized conditions of 30 °C in a medium with an initial pH of 7 and at a shaking rate of 120 rpm. The maximum biomass obtained in the batch fermentation was 2.55 g/L after 16 h. Various unstructured models were analyzed to simulate the experimental values of microbial growth, protease activity and substrate concentration. The unstructured models, i.e. the Monod model for microbial growth, the Monod incorporated Luedeking-Piret model for the production of protease and the Monod-incorporated modified Luedeking-Piret model for the utilization of substrate were capable of predicting the fermentation profile with high coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.9967, 0.9402 and 0.9729, respectively. The results indicated that the unstructured models were able to describe the fermentation kinetics more effectively. © 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.