Kinetics of phenol oxidation by Candida tropicalis: effects of oxygen supply rate and nutrients on phenol inhibition.

The kinetics of phenol degradation was estimated in a fed-batch reactor system. Effects of oxygen and nutrient excess or limitation as well as the presence of several essential ions on the phenol- and oxygen-specific uptake rates achieved simultaneously in a bioreactor were shown. Candida tropicalis was grown on phenol as the only carbon and energy source. Applying the best fit of polynomial function, the maximum specific uptake rates of phenol and oxygen, the critical concentrations of phenol, the half-saturation constants and inhibition constants were determined. Linear relationship between specific phenol uptake rate and the exogenous respiration rate was found regardless of the kind and presence of essential nutrients. At oxygen limitation both the phenol uptake rate and the cell affinity to phenol decreased more strongly compared with those under nutrient limitation. Oxygen in excess resulted in a significant increase of cell tolerance toward phenol. The presence of essential nutrients increased the specific phenol degradation rate and led to complete phenol oxidation.