Model when Substrate is Inhibitory


When the nutrient becomes inhibitory as its concentration rises, the Andrews equation often fits the data fairly well:

where µ = specific growth rate coefficient (the hat denotes its maximum value)
ks = half-saturation coefficient
ki = inhibition coefficient
S = concentration of inhibitory nutrient

Note that the inhibition coefficient, Ki, is in the denominator multiplied by the substrate concentration squared. This term dominates as S gets large and causes µ to decline.

Graph of Andrews Equation

Reference

Andrews, J.F. (1968) A mathematical model for continuous culture of micro-organisms using inhibitory substrates. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 10: 707-723
Go "with the flow"or to Main Menu