Biological Reaction Engineering Flashcards
What’s a bioprocess?
A process that uses a biocatalyst.
Biocatalyst are: •Cells that can manufacture: •Microbial •Animal •Plant
Biocatalysts can be enzymes or microorganisms.
What are the features of process engineering?
Most reactions are aqueous phase
Solids are low density, high water content particles
Low diffusion rates; high viscosity
Cell growth is limited by nutrient mass transfer
Low concentrations (high water content)
Stability with regard to pH, temperature is low
Complex process streams
What’s the difference between stoichiometric and catalytic reactions?
Stoichiometric - conc’ of species scale with those of the substrates
Catalytic - conc’ of catalytic intermediates relative to substrate concentrations change as a function of substrate concentration.
Rate behaviour at high and low conc’ may not be the same.
What’s enzyme kinetics?
Enzyme kinetics is the investigation of how enzymes bind substrates and turn them into products
- substrate binds reversibly to the enzyme
- enzyme-substrate complex (Michaelis complex)
- catalytic step
- release product
What’s the quasi-equilibrium assumption?
If a reversible step in a reaction network remains practically in equilibrium through the reaction, the step is treated as equilibrium.
What’s the Bodenstein steady state assumption?
If the intermediate concentration is very small compared to the substrate concentration then the rate of change in concentration of the intermediate species will also be very small, and we may set this rate equal to zero
What are the 3 main ways (plots) that can be used to graphically determine Vmax and Km?
Lineweaver-Burk plot
Eadie-Hofstee plot
Hanes-Dixon plot
What is the zero order kinetic derivation?
So - S = kt
However, learn to derive, NOT memorise!
Remember rate = dP/dt = -dS/dt
What’s the first order kinetic derivation?
S / So = e^(-kt)
However, learn to derive, NOT memorise!
Remember rate = dP/dt = -dS/dt
Which kinetic equation is used when enzymes are used (as a biocatalyst)?
The Michaelis-Menten equation (using v max and Km)
Enzymes are dead.
Which kinetic equation is used when microorganisms are used (as a biocatalyst)?
The Monod equation (using mu max and Ks)
Microorganisms are alive.
From what foundations can the MM (Michaelis Menten) equation be derived?
k1 k2
E + S ES -> E + P
k2
And the fact that rate of product formation,
r = k2*[ES]
However, [ES] can’t be measured so an alternative must be found.
How is the deactivation of an enzyme equation derived?
[E]a = [E]o e^(-kdt)
Which is derived from:
r = -dEa/dt = kd[E]a
Learn to derive, not memorise
How is the half life of an enzyme found?
Half life reached when:
[E]a = [E]o/2
Substitute this into enzyme deactivation equation and solve.
Half life:
t (1/2) = ln 2 / kd
What are substrates used for for enzymatic and microorganism catalysed reactions?
Enzymatic:
Production
Microorganism:
Growth
Maintenance
Production
What are yield coefficients?
Biological variables used to relate ratio between consumption and production rates of mass and energy.
They are assumed to be time-independent.
How is the rate of biomass growth (batch growth) calculated?
rx = dX/dt = mu*X
Mu is NOT a constant, however mu max IS!
What happens in the lag phase (batch reactor)?
Occurs immediately after inoculation
- No increase in cell numbers (growth rate~0)
- Cells adapt to the new environment
- Length depends
- nutrient composition
- age of cells
•Reduce lag by
–Active inoculum,
–Same growth medium
–Large inoculum
What’s an inoculum?
A substance used for inoculation.
What’s doubling time?
Time taken for initial amount of substance to double.
X = 2*Xo
What’s the Monod equation?
mu = mu max * [S] / (Ks + [S])