Control and Model-based Analysis of Microaerobic Processes

Studying bacterial growth under microaerobic (oxygen-limited) conditions is a special biotechnological challenge, as the measurement of the required very low oxygen concentrations can not be accomplished by conventional oxygen sensors. Due to the lack of appropriate control strategies these processes are -in spite their biotechnological importance- still underrepresented in research and industrial application.

In this book strategies for analysing and controlling microaerobic processes are developed by combining elements of systems biology, mathematical modeling, bioengineering and control engineering. The strategies are applied to analyse and control the microaerobic lifestyle of the anoxygenic photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum. These bacteria bear a high biotechnological potential for research and industry as they produce a variety of interesting biological products by using fascinating mechanisms under these conditions.

The experimental results derived during this study demonstrate that the proposed strategies create an experimental platform which allows the systematic analysis of complex system biological challenges.

In summary this book makes three contributions: First, it introduces innovative process control strategies as valuable tools for studying regulatory mechanisms of microaerobic phenomena. Second, the presented experimental data and their analysis make a contribution to the understanding of the microaerobic lifestyle of Rhodospirillum rubrum. Third, the delivered process control strategies allow the research and the industrial application of microaerobic regimes and is applicable to all respiratory organisms.