MICROBIAL-GROWTH KINETICS - A HISTORICAL-PERSPECTIVE

Growth is the expression par excellence of the dynamic nature of livin g organisms. Among the general methods available for the scientific in vestigation of dynamic phenomena, the most useful ones are those that deal with kinetic aspects. Kinetic investigations on cultures of micro -organisms are eminently suited for establishing relationships between growth and environmental factors, especially the nature and amount of nutrients. C. B. van Niel (1949) The study of the growth of bacterial cultures does not constitute a specialised subject of branch of resea rch: it is the basic method of Microbiology. Monod (1949)