Question

A. How has the development of bioreactor helped in biotechnology?
B.Name the most commonly used bioreactor and describe it’s working.Name the most commonly used bioreactor and describe it’s working.

Answer 1

Hint:
A A bioreactor is a device or system manufactured which supports a biologically active environment through controlled mechanism. It is a vessel in which a process, chemical nature, is carried out and it involves the biological organisms or derived biochemically active substances from these organisms. The environment is controlled and the process can be aerobic or anaerobic.

B A bioreactor is referred to as a system or device that maintains a biological environment. It is used as a cylindrical vessel and made of stainless steel. It is used in the culturing of aerobic cells for conducting cellular or certain types of enzymatic reactions immobilization.

Complete step by step answer:
A In a bioreactor, the microorganism is maintained in a chemical as well as physical environment. They are used in a variety of ways to produce bulk production of biological end products such as chemicals, toxins and different types of metabolites that require the microorganisms like bacteria, plants and animal cells. The uses of bioreactors have been done in various fields and provides for some control over the production of the chemicals. The bioreactors are of great use in biotechnology in numerous ways. The process of production using bioreactor provides a control system especially over temperature, pH as well as the pressure of the system. Other important functions required for the process can be easily measured and controlled.
The bioreactors can be carried out in both aerobic or anaerobic conditions and it can be modified by administration of oxygen, according to the need of the enzymatic reactions, by using aerators. The aerators help to fuel in oxygen depending upon the reaction. The process of mixing and stirring are done on the basis of automated apparatus which makes the process safer. The reactors are highly automated and controlled which helps the reaction to be fully adulteration free and prevents leakage of any elements into the environment. It is highly efficient, safe as well as protected systems.
The bioreactors are used to produce several pharmaceuticals and cultures of cells and tissues which need proper sterilized conditions and extreme accuracy. These conditions can be easily achieved in the bioreactors as they provide a controlled atmosphere. The process also requires proper agitation and aeration. Due to the simple technology and ease of operation with high yield, the bioreactors are preferred in industries related to biotechnology, tissue culture engineering and fermentation industry.


B The bioreactors are used in different types of application such as tissue engineering or in several types of biochemical and bioprocess engineering. A stirred tank bioreactor is one of the most commonly used bioreactors that are used in the fermentation industry. It is the most used conventional type of bioreactors.
A stirred tank bioreactor contains a good well-equipped oxygen transfer and high mixing or agitating apparatus. The important components of the bioreactors are made of distinct parts which are the agitators, baffles, sparger and jacket. An agitator is used in the mixing of the components of the reactions easily to ensure perfect homogeneous conditions to increase yields. The vortex formation of the vessel is avoided using the baffle. In aerobic conditions, the purpose of sparger is to provide a supply oxygen and jacket provides the annular area for maintaining the temperature of the bioreaction.
The bioprocess involved in the reactions mainly comprises three steps which are upstream processing, bioreaction and downstream processing. The raw material are either of biological or non-biological origin. It is converted to a more suitable form of processing and is done in the upstream processing step. The upstream process involves the techniques of chemical hydrolysis, preparation of liquid media, separation of particulate and other such type of preparatory processes. The resulting feed or chemicals is transferred to bioreaction stage. In this stage, three processes such as production of biomass, metabolite synthesis and transformation of products takes place. The final material produced are further processed in the downstream process. It includes the processes such as solid liquid separation, adsorption, extraction, distillation and drying. Finally, the desired material is extracted that is again purified for usage.

Note:
A The bioreactors offer a controlled and sterile environment to process several types of biological enzymatic reactions and produce high yield of related substances such as chemicals, antibiotics, tissue culture etc. The different factors needed for the process can be easily controlled and due to these useful characteristics, the bioreactors are useful in biotechnology.

B The stirred tank reactors or the STRs are one of the most common types of reactors that are employed in areas such as fermentation industries as it produces high yield end products. The reactions include three steps such as upstream processing, bioreaction stage and downstream process to produce the desired material.