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Industrially Useful Microbial Processes Questions and Answers

1.

Which of the following components prevents vortex formation in a fermenter ?

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: C

Vortex formation is prevented by the baffle (spelt Bafle in the paper).

Baffles are vertical metal strips fixed to the inner wall of a stirred fermenter, usually four of them. Without them the impeller would set the whole broth spinning, forming a central vortex that reduces mixing and oxygen transfer and can draw air down to the impeller. The baffles break up this swirling flow and turn it into the turbulent mixing that keeps cells, nutrients and air bubbles evenly spread.

The sparger introduces air at the bottom of the vessel. The impeller (and a propeller, one kind of impeller) does the stirring, and is in fact what creates the vortex the baffles prevent.

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2.

The enzyme useful in conversion of penicillin G to 6-aminopenicillonic acid is :

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2019, SET Exam - 2019,

Answer: A

The enzyme is penicillin acylase.

Penicillin acylase (penicillin amidase), from E. coli and other bacteria, cuts the amide bond that joins the phenylacetyl side chain to the penicillin nucleus. This converts penicillin G into 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA, printed 'penicillonic'), the core to which new side chains are attached to make semi-synthetic penicillins such as ampicillin.

Penicillinase (β-lactamase) opens the β-lactam ring instead and inactivates the drug. Carboxypeptidase and aminopeptidase remove amino acids from the ends of peptides.

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3.

For thorough mixing of medium and inoculum the part of the fermentor useful is :

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2019, SET Exam - 2019,

Answer: C

The mixing part is the impeller.

The impeller is the set of blades, usually Rushton turbines, mounted on the central shaft of a stirred-tank fermentor. As it turns, it mixes medium and inoculum thoroughly, keeps cells in suspension, breaks air bubbles into fine ones and spreads heat evenly.

The shaft only carries the impeller and transmits the motor's drive. The sparger releases air into the medium, and the headspace is the empty volume above the liquid.

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4.

In fermentor, the top portion left without broth is called :

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2021, SET Exam - 2021,

Answer: B

The top portion left without broth is the headspace.

A fermentor is not filled completely. Typically 20 to 25% of the vessel volume is left empty above the liquid. The headspace takes the foam that forms on aeration, lets gas separate from the broth before it leaves through the exhaust, and gives a margin for volume increase during the run.

The other three are parts inside the broth. The shaft carries the agitator, the impeller is the stirring blade mounted on it, and the sparger is the perforated pipe that bubbles air into the medium at the bottom.

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5.

The process of using bacteria for extraction of valuable metals in mining industry is known as :

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2023, SET Exam - 2023,

Answer: B

The process is Bioleaching.

In bioleaching, acidophilic bacteria such as Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans oxidise ferrous iron and sulphide minerals. The ferric iron and sulphuric acid they produce dissolve metals such as copper, uranium and gold-bearing sulphides from low-grade ore, and the metal is recovered from the leach solution. A large share of the world's copper is produced this way.

Biodegradation is the breakdown of organic compounds by microbes. Biosorption is the passive binding of metal ions to microbial biomass, used mainly to remove metals from waste water. Bioremediation is the use of organisms to clean up pollutants; none of these is the extraction of metals from ore.

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6.

Match the following products with their method of production :

Column AColumn B
I. Beer(a) Fermentation of grape juice with yeast
II. Wine(b) Fermentation of malted grain and yeast
III. Vinegar(c) Fermentation followed by distillation of ethanol
IV. Spirit(d) Fermentation to produce ethanol followed by Acetobacter metabolism of ethanol

Codes :

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2023, SET Exam - 2023,

Answer: A

The correct matching is I-(b), II-(a), III-(d), IV-(c).

  • Beer is made by fermenting malted grain (barley) with yeast.
  • Wine is made by fermenting grape juice with yeast.
  • Vinegar is made in two steps: yeast ferments sugar to ethanol, then Acetobacter oxidises the ethanol to acetic acid.
  • Spirits such as whisky and rum are fermented and then distilled to concentrate the ethanol.

The other codes misplace at least two products, for example giving beer the distillation step, which belongs to spirits, or calling wine the acetic fermentation, which describes vinegar.

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Answer: C

The order is inoculation, fermentation, downstream processing, removal of waste.

An industrial fermentation starts by preparing and sterilising the medium and inoculating it with the production organism. Fermentation follows in the bioreactor under controlled conditions. Downstream processing then recovers and purifies the product, and finally the spent broth and biomass are treated and disposed of as waste.

The other orders put fermentation before inoculation, downstream processing before fermentation, or waste removal first, none of which can happen.

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8.

Match the following product/process to the microorganism involved :

Product/ProcessMicroorganism
(L) Biopol(1) Thiobacillus ferroxidans
(M) Biopesticide(2) Pseudomonas putida
(N) Bioleaching(3) Bacillus sphaericus
(O) Bioremediation of oil(4) Alcaligenes eutrophus

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2024, SET Exam - 2024,

Answer: D

The correct code is (L)-(4), (M)-(3), (N)-(1), (O)-(2).

  • Biopol, a polyhydroxybutyrate bioplastic, is made by Alcaligenes eutrophus (now Cupriavidus necator) (4).
  • Biopesticide: Bacillus sphaericus produces toxins against mosquito larvae (3).
  • Bioleaching of copper and other metals uses Thiobacillus ferrooxidans (1).
  • Bioremediation of oil: Pseudomonas putida, including Chakrabarty's engineered 'superbug', degrades hydrocarbons (2).

The other codes misplace at least two organisms, for example giving bioleaching to Pseudomonas.

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9.

What provision a typical bioreactor possess to overcome the vortex formation during fermentation ?

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: D

Vortex formation is prevented by baffles on the side walls of the fermentor.

Baffles are vertical metal strips fixed to the vessel wall. They break the circular flow set up by the impeller, converting swirling into turbulent mixing, which stops a vortex forming and improves aeration and mixing.

The agitator is what sets the liquid rotating in the first place, so it causes the vortex rather than preventing it. The sparger introduces air at the bottom of the vessel, and stuffing boxes seal the agitator shaft where it passes through the vessel. Neither controls vortexing.

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