Bioprocess intensification

Size dependent phenomena Selective biochemical reactions In vitro organs In vitro biochemical synthesis Bioprocess intensification... 

Chisti, Y. Moo-Young, M. Bioprocess intensification through bioreactor engineering. Trans. IChemE. 1996, 74, 575-583. 

Akay, G. Erhan, E. Keskinler, B. Bioprocess intensification in flow through micro-reactors with immobilized bacteria. Bioeng. Biotech. 2005, 90, 180-190. 

In this study, after a brief introduction to PI we provide the bases of a technique for the preparation of polymeric micro-porous materials, known as polyHIPE polymers (PHPs) which are now used extensively in PIM, and micro-reactor technology. These polymers are prepared through the high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) polymerization route. In order to control the pore size, the flow-induced phase inversion phenomenon is applied to the emulsification technique. The metalization of these polymers and formation of nano-structured micro-porous metals for intensified catalysis are also discussed. Finally, we illustrate the applications of these materials in chemical- and bioprocess intensifications and tissue engineering while examining the existence of several size-dependent phenomena. 

In the UK, Heriot-Watt University has been studying marine bioprocess intensification, in particular using novel bioreactors (Wright et al., 1999). With optimisation and conversion of current technologies these have the potential to yield more efficient units. 

Dr Alexei Lapkin is a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Bath, UK, where he is also a Deputy Director of the Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies. He obtained his Master in Chemistry from the Novosibirsk State University, Russia, and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Bath. His research is focused on process intensification, bioprocessing, design and applications of functional materials. 

Miniaturization in biocatalysis and fermentation is another necessary step. This will allow continuous processes with the benefits that could derive in terms of process intensification and reduction of waste. Miniature (less than 10 mL) stirred reactors and microtiter plates (MTP) have been introduced mainly with the idea of allowing high-throughput screening to speed up bioprocess development, even though they are available now also for production uses [172-174]. Notably, problems emerge with these miniature bioreactors (MBRs), such as evaporation and surface tension, which determine the performances, but which are masked in larger bioreactors. 

Development of Nano-Structured Micro-Porous Materials and their Application in Bioprocess-Chemical Process Intensification and Tissue Engineering... 

Akay G. 2005. Bioprocess and Chemical Process Intensification. In, Encyclopaedia of Chemical Processing, Lee S. (Ed.), Marcel Dekker, NY. 

Muralidhara, H.S. (2006). Role of process intensification in food and bioprocessing for the 21st century challenges and opportunities. Proceedings of the 2nd Conference on Process Intensification and Innovation, Christchurch, New Zealand, September 24-29. 

Schmolzer, K., Madje, K., Nidetzky, B., and Kratzer, R. (2012) Bioprocess design guided by in-situ substrate supply and product removal process intensification for synthesis of (S)-l-(2-chlorophenyl) ethanol. Bioresour. Technol., 108, 216-223,... 

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