Bioreactors (lecture 1) Flashcards
What is the definition of a bioreactor?
Devices in which biological and/or chemical processes develop under closely monitored and tightly controlled environments & operating conditioons
What are the key components of bioreactors? (5)
- pH
- Temperature
- Pressure
- Nutrient Supply
- Waste removal
What are the classical applications of bioreactors? (7)
- Biopharmaceuticals
- Industrial chemicals
- Food and beverage
- Agriculture
- Energy
- Environmental monitoring
- Bioremediation
What are the types of bioreactors? (4)
- Batch
- Fed-batch
- Continuous culture
- Repeated fed-batch
What is the most common type of bioreactor?
Batch
How does a batch bioreactor work and what are some features?
No extra feeding is used from begining to end of the process
- Closed system
- all nutrients provided at start
- Process lasts until nutrients are consumed
- Continously interrupted by cleaning and sterilisation
Adv.
- Short duration & easy management
- less contamination
Disadv.
- Product mixed with nutrients
How does a fed-batch bioreactor work and what are some features?
Feeding with substrate & supplements can extend the duration of culture
- semi-continuous
- partly open system
adv.
- Extends culture production duration
- can be used to turn genes on and off (by changing substrate)
disadv.
- allows build up of inhibitors and toxins
How does a continuous bioreactor work and what are some features?
As much fresh culture medium is added as is removed
adv.
- maximum productivity
- cleaning, sterilisation and handling are reduced
disadv.
- cannot be seperated into neat batches for traceability
How does a repeated fed-batch bioreactor work and what are some features?
Hybrid method
harvesting all but small residue of a completed (fed) batch
adv. over fed-batch
- build of inhibitors and toxin is prevented due to medium change
What is an alternative to lab-based bioreactor systems?
In-vivo bioreactors
What is an example of a dual-chamber bioreactor?
Osteochondral bioreactor
