TABLE OF CONTENTS Biochemical reactions can be extremely complex. We will not go into the details of these reactions, but only treat the reactions kinetics. The precise chemical interactions leading to reaction is the domain of the biologists and chemists. In biotechnology, we are mostly interested in the kinetics of the reaction to know and improve its efficiency and reduce its duration.
Consider a chemical reaction of the form
| (5.1) |  |
and note the molar concentration of a participant J at some instant by the symbol [ J]. The rate of consumption of a reactant at a given time is defined by -d[ R]/ dt, where R is either A or B; this rate is a positive quantity (Figure 5.11). The rate of formation of one of the products C or D which we denote P is defined by d[ P]/ dt and is also a positive quantity (Figure 5.12).
By considering the stoichiometry of (5.1), we deduce the relations
| (5.2) |  |
and the rate of reaction is uniquely defined by
| (5.3) |  |
where
| (5.4) |  |
Rate of reaction is essential...
