Review the key concepts, formulae, and examples before starting your quiz.
🔑Concepts
Downstream processing refers to the series of processes that occur after the biosynthetic stage (upstream) to isolate, purify, and characterize the final product.
The primary components of downstream processing include separation and purification of the desired product from the fermentation broth.
Post-purification, the product is formulated with suitable preservatives to ensure stability and increase shelf life.
Every product must undergo rigorous Quality Control (QC) testing to ensure its safety, efficacy, and purity standards are met.
In the case of drugs and pharmaceuticals, the product must undergo strict clinical trials before it is approved for commercial use and marketing.
Downstream processing varies from product to product depending on the nature of the molecule and its intended use.
📐Formulae
💡Examples
Problem 1:
A biotechnology firm harvests a batch from a bioreactor containing of total crude extract. During the separation and purification stages of downstream processing, of impurities and cell debris are removed. Calculate the remaining mass of the isolated product.
Solution:
The mass of the isolated product is .
Explanation:
To find the mass of the isolated product, we subtract the mass of the impurities removed during downstream processing from the total initial crude extract mass.
Problem 2:
If the initial mass of a recombinant protein in the harvest is and after downstream processing, of pure protein is recovered, what is the percentage recovery yield?
Solution:
Explanation:
The efficiency of downstream processing is often measured by the recovery yield, which is the ratio of the final purified product to the initial amount present in the harvest, expressed as a percentage.