Estimation of Biomass Energetic Yield and Maintenance Energy of Growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescens on Diesel Oil

Abstract

Biodegradation data for the growth of Stock pure and mixed cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescens on diesel oil have been analyzed using the concept of true energetic yield and maintenance energy based on re-parameterized Pirt’s Model. The true biomass energetic yield, h_max was estimated as 0.230, 0.380 and 0.190 for P. aeruginosa, P. fluorescens and their mixed culture, respectively. Also, the maintenance requirements, M_e (day^-1) obtained were 0.588, 0.634 and 0.551 for P. aeruginosa, P. fluorescens and their mixed culture, respectively, the result of this work showed that relatively higher percentage degradation result from organism with lower true biomass yield and maintenance requirement and also reflected the possibility of a synergy between the two organisms since the mixed culture gave lower values of biomass yield and maintenance requirement when compared with the values obtained for the pure cultures.