Question

1.) Assume that experimental measurements for a certain organism have shown that cells can convert two-thirds (wt/wt)of the substrate carbon to biomass. a) Calculate the stoichiometric coefficients for the following biological reactions: C16 H34 + AO2 + bNH3 -------- c (C4.4H7.3N0.86O1.2) + dH2O + eCO2 C6H12O6 + aO2 + bNH3 -------------- c (C4.4H7.3N0.86O1.2) + dH2O + eCO2 b) Calculate the yield coefficients YX/S (g/g), YX/O2 (g/g) for both the reactions.

Answer 1

a) The smallest atom no. in the fractional formula = 0.86, hence divide all the atoms in the corresponding formula by 0.86, you will get

C₁₆ H₃₄ + aO₂ + bNH₃ -------- c(C_4.4/0.86H_7.3/0.86N_0.86/0.86O_1.2/0.86) + dH₂O + eCO₂

C₁₆ H₃₄ + aO₂ + bNH₃ -------- c(C₅H_8.5N₁O_1.5) + dH₂O + eCO₂

C₁₆ H₃₄ + aO₂ + bNH₃ -------- c(C₁₀H₁₇N₂O₃) + dH₂O + eCO₂

Now, to balance the above equation, the suitable cofficients are as shown below.

a = 13.25, b = 2, c = 1, d = 11.5 and e = 6

You can solve the remaining.

All the best!