Question

Stirred tank bioreactors have been designed for

• A. purification of product
• B. addition of preservatives to the product
• C. availability of oxygen throughout the process
• D. ensuring anaerobic conditions in the culture vessel

Answer 1

The correct option is C

availability of oxygen throughout the process

Stirred tank bioreactors are the most widely used bioreactors developed for culturing many biological agents such as cells, enzymes or antibodies. These are incorporated with mechanical agitators which ensure uniform mixing of components added in the bioreactors. In earlier bioreactors which did not have stirrers, the improper mixing of components was limiting to the optimum production of the desired product. In static conditions oxygen availability is very less thus activity of aerobic bacteria gets hindered leading to less production of the desired product. Stirred bioreactors have inbuilt stirrers which ensure proper mixing and a spargers which allows introduction of air in the medium.