KINETIC MODEL FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CELLULASES BY A STRAIN OF ASPERGILLUS NIGER IN SOLID-STATE FERMENTATION

Abstract

In this work a kinetic model proposal is presented for describing cellulase production in a solid-state fermentation process of an Aspergillus nigerstrain. The validation of the model was carried out at five temperatures: 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40°C. In the validation the characteristic parameters of the model were identified using a dynamic data generated at constant temperature. The response variables described by the model are: concentration of biomass of fungus measured as true protein, total reducing sugars, crude fiber, FPase activity, CMCase activity and the activity of proteases in the medium. For parameters identification the process model was programmed in MATLAB. The results indicate that the model is perfectly capable describing the cellulase production kinetics under these conditions. The temperatures where cellulase production was higher were 30°C and 35°C. The experimental levels of FPase and CMCase are significant because maxim values of FPase of 60 UI gDW-1 and of CMCase of 50 UI gDW-1 are reached in a fermentation time ranging from 24 to 30 hours. The identified parameters are strongly associated to temperature.