Determination of Oxygen Solubility in Liquid Media
The present work aimed at determining the oxygen saturation in culture medium used in the production of pigments by Monascus ruber CCT 3802. This estimation allows the correction and the minimization of errors on the specific oxygen uptake rates determination because the conversion of oxygen partial pressure to oxygen concentration requires accurate information on oxygen solubility in experimental incubation media. By adding hydrogen peroxide and then transforming into water and oxygen using catalase, it was possible to determinate the saturation concentration of 7.677 and 6.772 mgO2 L−1 in distilled water and in growth medium, respectively. The determination of these parameters makes possible the minimization of errors on the specific oxygen uptake rates determination, once many studies consider the saturation concentration in distilled water.