Biotechnology Flashcards
Define Biotechnology
Technology based on biology and involves the exploitation of living organisms
Name 4 ways that we use biotechnology
Production of foods
Production of drugs (Pharmaceutics)
Production of enzymes and chemicals
Bioremdiation of waste products
What occurs in the lag phase of bacteiral growth?
They become used to their surrondings
Slow reproduction
What occurs in the log phase of growth?
Populations breed and increase in size
Length of the phase = how quickly the species reproduce
Name four reasons why a plateau in population size may occur?
Lack of space
Conc of nutrients
Conc of toxic waste products
The carrying capacity is reached
Define Primary metabolites
Products of metabolism that are made during normal growth of an organism (eg, Amino acids / ethanol)
Define Secondary metabolites
Products of metabolism that are not produced as part of normal growth (eg, penecillin)
What type of conditions must fermentation be done under?
Sterile / aseptic
What is the main concern with continuous fermentation cultures?
Contamination can lose large volumes of product
Define Downstram processing
And what are the negatives of this?
The purification of the products of biotechnological reactions so that they can be used
Expensive
Needs lots of equipment
What are the four types of enzyme immobilization?
Adsorption
Covalent bonding
Entrapment
Membrane seperation
Explain adsorption (enzyme immobilisation)
Enzymes are attatched to a solid particle via weak bonds (eg ionic)
Many enzymes per particle
High probability of enzyme leakage
