Abstract
Two hollow-fiber reactor systems in series were optimized with respect to the yield of ammonia in the sequential reactions by arginase and urease, decomposing arginine to ammonia via urea. In this optimization, partition of the two enzymes and pH values were used as the control variables.
In the lower range of conversion with higher concentration of substrate and short residence time, a policy of keeping pH optimal for each enzyme reaction separately in the two reactors without partitioning the enzymes is advisable for obtaining maximum yield. Meanwhile, in the higher range of conversion with lower concentration of substrate or long residence time, the optimal partition of the two enzymes in each reactor, having pH value optimized consistently throughout the two reactors, is recommended. Experimental data are presented to justify the optimal strategy studied here.
