CP504 – Lecture 1
Introduction to
Biological Process Engineering
- learn about the need of biological process engineering
- learn about the role of C&P engineering in it
Prof. R. Shanthini
16 Sept 2011
Reference texts used for CP504 ppt preparation:
1) Lee JM, 1992, Biochemical Engineering,
New Jersey: Prentice-Hall
2) Shuler ML and Kargi F, 2005, Bioprocess Engineering - Basic
Concepts, Second Edition,
New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India
3) Aiba S, Humphrey AE and Millis NF, 1973, Biochemical Engineering,
Second Edition,
New York & London: Academic Press
Prof. R. Shanthini
16 Sept 2011
- Biological process engineering is a study of processing
systems based on living cells or cellular components (such
as enzymes) .
- Chemical and process engineering principles are used to
study the bioreaction kinetics, design of bioreactors and
recovery bioproducts.
- Bio process engineering is used in chemical industry
(lactic acid, acetic acid, ethanol, etc.), foods industry
(yogurt, beer, etc.) and pharmaceutical industry.
- Penicillin is an example of the need and success of
biological process engineering.
Prof. R. Shanthini
16 Sept 2011
Penicillin:
- In 1928, Alexander Fleming was trying to isolate the
bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus (which causes boils)
- He did it by growing the bacterium on the surface of a
nutrient solution
- One of the dishes was contaminated by a common mold of
the Penicillium genus (Penicillium notatum)
Penicillium notatum colony
Staphylococcus aureus colony
Prof. R. Shanthini
16 Sept 2011
Penicillin:
- It did not allow the bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, to
grow close to its colony
- Fleming realized that Penicillium notatum had antimicrobial
properties
- So that was the discovery of penicillin
Penicillium notatum colony
Staphylococcus aureus colony
Prof. R. Shanthini
16 Sept 2011
Penicillin:
- Fleming grew the mold, extracted it and managed to obtain
tiny quantities of penicillin
- Large-scale production was not possible for another decade
to come (why?)
- Fermentation process was not successful for large-scale
production
- low rate of production required large reactors
- diluted product (1 ppm) was difficult to recover
- too fragile and unstable to purify and recover
- chemical synthesis was tried for commercial production, which
was however not a commercial success
- went back to fermentation process for large-scale production
Prof. R. Shanthini
16 Sept 2011
Large-scale production of Penicillin:
- a better medium (corn steep liquor-lactose based medium) was
developed to increase productivity by 10 fold
- A new strain Penicillium chrysogenum was used
- progress involved better understanding of
mold physiology
metabolic pathways
penicillin structure
methods of mutation and selection
process control
reactor design
- a chemical engineer and a microbiologist were assigned to work
together on the engineering and biology aspects, respectively
- biological process engineering was born
Prof. R. Shanthini
16 Sept 2011
Large-scale production of Penicillin:
Penicillium
chrysogenum
Seed
fermenter
Spent
mold
Nutrient
tanks
Fermentation
tanks
Surge
tanks
Evaporator
Crystalline
potassium
penicillin
Prof. R. Shanthini
16 Sept 2011
Crystal
wash
Centrifugal
extractor
Rotary
filter
Evaporator
Centrifugal
extractor
Mix
tank
Solvent
Procaine,
HCl
solution
Purification
column
Spent
solvent
Slurry
Mix
tank
Spent
solvent
Solvent
Centrifuge
Solvent
Screen
Vacuum
freeze
dryer
Procaine
penicillin
product
Part of the assignment in CP504 is to be based on
introduction to biological systems for the production of
commercial goods and services (such as foods, drugs,
chemicals, fuels, equipment, diagnostics, and waste
treatment).
Prof. R. Shanthini
16 Sept 2011