inTroDuCTion Simultaneous measurements of the rates of heat production and oxygen utilisation by living tissues provides a direct quantitative means of detecting subtle changes in metabolic state in the face of altered physiological and environmental conditions. The ratio of calorimetrically measured heat flux to the respirometrically measured oxygen flux is often called the “calorimetric-respi...

In this study, PP films were modified with an organic pro-degradant in different concentrations (1, 2 and 3 wt.%), exposed in the first step of degradation to natural ageing for 100 days followed by biodegradation in simulated soil in the respirometric test for 100 days. At the end of the combined degradation process the PP samples were characterized according to their morphological and physica...

The principal fungal species isolated from a contaminated library environment were tested for their microbial volatile organic compound (MVOC) production ability. Aspergillus creber, A. penicillioides, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Eurotium chevalieri, E. halophilicum, Penicillium brevicompactum and P. chrysogenum were cultivated on suitable culture media inside sample bottles specifically desi...

Analytical methods applicable to different organic wastes are needed to establish the extent to which readily biodegradable organic matter has decomposed (i.e., biological stability). The objective of this study was to test a new respirometric method for biological stability determination of organic wastes. Dynamic respiration index (DRI) measurements were performed on 16 organic wastes of diff...

Activated sludge models (ASMs) have been widely used as a basis for further model development in wastewater treatment processes. Values for parameters to be used are vital for the accuracy of the modeling approach. A continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), as open respirometer with continuous flow for 20 h is used in ASMs. The dissolved oxygen (DO) profile for 11 days was monitored. It was foun...

Metarhizium comprises species of importance as biological control agents whose conidia have been well produced in lab-scale packed column bioreactors. However, difficulties such low oxygen supply, CO2 removal, and overheating limit bioreactor scale-up. To select suitable operating conditions industrial-scale bioreactors, it is necessary to analyze the bioprocess terms O2 consumption production....

Inhibition of the respiration microbial activity in the activated sludge caused by heavy metal concentrations (Cr, Cd, Cu and Ni) was studied by means of respirometric method using Strathtox respirometer (Strathkelvin Glasgow).The studied sludge samples were obtained from the two waste water treatment plants with different types of pollution (municipal waste water and domestic waste water). Key...