MEMBRANES IN BIOTECHNOLOGY - STATE OF THE ART

Membranes and membrane separation processes promise to have, and are already having, a major impact upon the rapidly growing field of biochemical processing. Initially, emphasis was placed on application of microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and reverse osmosis to such important bioprocessing operations as cell removal, whole-broth clarification, and downstream recovery and purification of bioproducts from invariably dilute and often complex aqueous mixtures. However, novel membrane-based bioseparation processes are increasingly being invented, developed, and applied that either replace or augment more traditional technologies. Additionally, biochemical process engineers have begun to use membranes to increase the productivity of conventional fermentation operations, focusing on techniques of cell recycle and extractive fermentation and the application of unique biosensors, all of which are based on membranes. Continuous immobilized cell and enzyme membrane reactors promise not only to replace the conventional batch fermentor, but also to accomplish many of the product recovery and purification tasks associated with bioconversion processes.