What chemicals will take up dissolved oxygen?

[MenkeBenjammin]

I am developing a model of dissolved oxygen (DO) consumption by yeast in the fermentation process. I would like to use a solution that will predictably take up DO over the course of 1 or 2 hours so that I can test a more basic model with the laboratory equipment I have. This would prove I have the means to test a model of the more complex fermentation process.

The DO will be bubbled up through the solution in a fermentation tank. I am a senior Bioengineering undergraduate student, and I do not have much experience with or knowledge of useful chemicals so I need your help.

What cost effective chemicals will take up DO over the course of 1 to 2 hours, much the way yeast consumes DO in the fermentation process?

 

[Bystander]

Are you looking for something with a specific reaction/stoichiometry to use as an additional analytical method, or would something that requires calibration be suitable?

Edit: (add) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_scavenger

 

[MenkeBenjammin]

Something with a specific stoichiometry is what I am imagining. In this way I could apply a linear flow rate of air bubbled through the solution until it is saturated.

I'm not sure what you mean by "something that requires calibration".

 

[Bystander]

Just thinking in terms of using charcoal/activated carbon. You did say, "cost effective," which I translated as "cheap."

 

[MenkeBenjammin]

Yes, cheap is the idea! But I think relatively cheap in the world of Sigma Aldrich chemicals is more what I had in mind. The adsorption of DO on activated carbon depends on many things including surface area and porosity.

I need something that has only one variable; the presence of oxygen.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Bystander]

At which point, hit the Wiki link for pointers to oxygen scavengers.

 

[Nidum]

Bubble purge with Argon or Nitrogen .

 

[Ketch22]

If I understand your query you are looking for something to take up or utilize dissolved oxygen as a method to prove another process you are working on. Not knowing what your base process is I have a suggestion that may suit your needs. This assuming that you have a method of measuring dissolved oxygen at your disposal.

In the Waste water world there is a test called a BOD₅ this stands for Biological Oxygen Demand at 5 days. They use a calibrated bacteria which acts very similar to a yeast. It is added to a dilution of the waste water and measured and sealed up. The bacteria uses residual biological foods and the dissolved oxygen. After 5 days it is remeasured ( post bacterial lifespan) for the amount of DO that was used the numbers produced are an indication of the waste water strength.

It would be possible to purchase or even obtain economically from a local sewage treatment plant or septic system lab some of this BOD seed. A few self developed test will give you a baseline for your own test.