[Method of calculating the specific growth rate of microorganisms by measurements of the substrate or product concentration].

A procedure and formulae are proposed for calculating the specific rate of microbial growth; these are based on measuring the concentration of either a limiting substrate or a product involved in the growth of a microorganism. Only the concentrations of a substrate (S) or a product (P) are determined periodically in the course of the cultural growth whereas the biomass yield (chi) in the medium is established only after long time intervals. The proposed equations may be used for controlling the specific growth rate in large-scale processes by the concentration of a product (or a substrate) using a computer, as well as in laboratory studies of mu as a function of the conditions for growth of slowly growing microorganisms.