Unstructured kinetic model for sophorolipid production by Candida bombicola

A kinetic model for sophorolipid production by Candida bombicola is propose d. The unstructured nonsegregated kinetic model takes into account three re sponses: biomass, sugar, and sophorolipid. In the kinetic model, the nitrog en-from yeast extract-is assumed to be the limiting nutrient of the yeast g rowth, the sugar-glucose-is assumed to be used in both growth and sophoroli pid production, and oil is supposed to be spent in product formation and ma intenance of biomass is attributed to glycerol eased by the catabolism of t he oil. The parameters of the kinetic model are calculated by fitting model to experimental data. These data have been obtained in experiments in whic h a batch stirred and an aerated tank bioreactor have been used. Fitting ha s been carried out according to a nonlinear regression algorithm, coupled w ith a Runge-Kutta method for the interpretation of integral data (evolution of system composition with time). The proposed kinetic model is able to ex plain both our experimental data and data given by other authors in previou s works in literature in which nutrient and product concentrations evolutio n are given. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.