Biomass measurement
Biomass is a fundamental parameter in the characterisation of microbial growth. Its measurement is essential for kinetic studies on SSF. Direct determination of biomass in SSF is very difficult due to the problem of separating the microbial biomass from the substrate. This is especially true for SSF processes involving fungi, because the fungal hyphae penetrate into and bind tightly to the substrate. On the other hand, for the calculation of growth rates and yields, it is the absolute amount of biomass which is important. Methods that have been used for biomass estimation in SSF belong to one of the following categories.