Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
10:11
Cell Co-culture Patterning Using Aqueous Two-phase Systems
Published on: March 26, 2013
Aqueous two-phase: the system of choice for extractive fermentation
1Biotechnology Research Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India.
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
|November 25, 2000
Summary
Extractive fermentation using aqueous two-phase systems enhances product yield and recovery. This method allows for product isolation in a cell-free stream, improving conventional fermentation processes.
Area of Science:
- Biochemical Engineering
- Biotechnology
- Separation Science
Background:
- Conventional fermentation processes often suffer from low product yields and complex downstream processing.
- Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) offer a promising alternative for in-situ product recovery.
- Integrating ATPS with fermentation can overcome limitations of traditional methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the principles and applications of extractive fermentation in aqueous two-phase systems.
- To discuss the characteristics, components, and parameters influencing ATPS performance.
- To evaluate the economic viability and future scope of this technology.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on aqueous two-phase systems and extractive fermentation.
- Analysis of partitioning behavior of biomolecules and cell mass in ATPS.
- Summarization of various extractive fermentation process designs and their outcomes.
Main Results:
- ATPS can be designed to achieve high product yield and facilitate separation in a cell-free stream.
- The choice of polymers and operating conditions significantly impacts partitioning and cell viability.
- Various ATPS configurations have been successfully applied to different fermentation processes.
Conclusions:
- Extractive fermentation in ATPS is a viable strategy to enhance efficiency and reduce costs in bioprocessing.
- Further research into system design and economic analysis will broaden its industrial application.
- This technology holds significant potential for sustainable and efficient bioproduction.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:29Bioreactor Design and Operational System
Bioreactors are engineered vessels designed to cultivate microorganisms under controlled conditions for industrial bioprocessing. They maintain sterility and allow precise regulation of pH, temperature, oxygen, and nutrient levels to optimize microbial growth and metabolite production. Bioreactors range from small laboratory units of 1 liter to industrial systems holding up to 500,000 liters, though only about 75% of their volume is actively used for fermentation. The remaining headspace...
01:18Bioreactor Controls-II
In aerobic fermentations, oxygen is vital for microbial growth and metabolite production. Since air comprises only about 20% oxygen and the gas is poorly soluble in water—just 9 ppm at 20°C—supplying sufficient oxygen becomes a critical challenge, especially in high-demand processes like yeast growth or citric acid production. Even a fully saturated broth may offer only a few seconds of oxygen availability.To address this, sterile or scrubbed air is introduced into the fermentor via a sparger...
01:14Batch vs Continuous Culture
Fermentation is a foundational biotechnological process used to produce pharmaceuticals, biofuels, enzymes, and food additives. Among industrial strategies, batch and continuous fermentation are the two most widely applied. Although both rely on microbial conversion of substrates into desired products, they differ markedly in operation, productivity, and suitability for specific applications.Batch fermentation occurs in a closed system in which nutrient media and inoculum are added at the...
01:14Scale-Up Processes
The scale-up of microbial fermentation processes is essential in industrial biotechnology, allowing the transition from laboratory-scale experiments to commercial-scale production while aiming to maintain product yield and quality. This process requires meticulous adjustment of equipment design, process parameters, and contamination control strategies to accommodate increasing culture volumes.At the laboratory scale, cultures are typically maintained in 1 to 10-liter glass or autoclavable...
01:27Upstream Processing
Upstream processing represents a critical phase in biomanufacturing, wherein biological systems such as microorganisms, mammalian cells, or insect cells are cultivated to produce therapeutic proteins, vaccines, enzymes, or other biologically derived products. This phase encompasses all steps from the selection and genetic manipulation of the production organism to the cultivation of cells in bioreactors under tightly controlled environmental conditions.Host Selection and Genetic OptimizationThe...
01:27Production of Alcohol
Continuous fermentation is a key strategy in industrial ethanol production, particularly when efficiency, scalability, and high yields are essential. This approach allows for uninterrupted operation and optimized resource utilization. The primary feedstock, corn starch, undergoes enzymatic hydrolysis facilitated by α-amylase and glucoamylase. These enzymes break down the starch into fermentable sugars such as glucose, which are readily assimilated by fermentative microorganisms.Fermentation...