NMEICT-MHRD (Govt.

of India) Project on - Creation of e-Contents on Fermentation Technology

Module- 18: Filter sterilization of Air

Introduction

Aerobic organisms require air for their growth. Some organisms require less quantity of air
while other requires air in huge quantity. Air is composed of gases, suspended particles, and
moisture. Thus, when we sterilize air we are removing all the particles and moisture from it.
When air supplied, it should be free from organism otherwise; those organisms present in air
will contaminate the fermenter. Thus, air must be sterile. It is generally sterilize by filter.

Filter sterilization of depends upon the content of air like suspended matter its size, type and
moisture content

Filters are of different types based on its applications

Types of Filters

1 Filter with pore size smaller than the particle size

2 Filter with pore size larger than the particle size

1 Filter with pore size smaller than the particle size

 They are absolute filters

 They are fixed pore filters
 If not physically damaged, are efficient to remove 100% microorganisms

2 Filter with pore size larger than the particle size

 They are known as depth filters

 They are non-fixed pore filters
 Composed of felts, woven yarns, asbestos pads and loosely packed fiber glass

The terms absolute and depth can be misleading as they imply that absolute filtration only
occurs at the surface of the filter, whereas absolute filters also have depth and filtration
occurs within the filter as well as at the surface

Methods of suspended solids separation from a fluid during filtration

 Inertial impaction
 Diffusion
 Electrostatic attraction
 Interception

Inertial impaction

 Suspended particles in a fluid stream have momentum

 The fluid in which the particles are suspended will flow through the filter by the route
of least resistance

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 However, the particles, because of their momentum, tend to travel in straight lines and
may therefore become impacted upon the fibres where they may then remain
 Inertial impaction is more significant in the filtration of gases than in the filtration of
liquids

Diffusion

 Extremely small particles suspended in a fluid are subject to Brownian motion which
is random movement due to collisions with fluid molecules
 Thus, such small particles tend to deviate from the fluid flow pattern and may become
impacted upon the filter fibres
 Diffusion is more significant in the filtration of gases than in the filtration of liquids

Electrostatic attraction

 Charged particles may be attracted by opposite charges on the surface of the filtration
medium

Interception

 The fibres comprising a filter are interwoven to define openings of various sizes
 Particles which are larger than the filter pores are removed by direct interception
 However, a significant number of particles which are smaller than the filter pores are
also retained by interception
 This may occur by several mechanisms - more than one particle may arrive at a pore
simultaneously, an irregularly shaped particle may bridge a pore, once a particle has
been trapped by a mechanism other than interception the pore may be partially
occluded enabling the entrapment of smaller particles
 Interception is equally important a mechanism in the filtration of gases and liquids

Sterilization of Air

 Aerobic fermentations require the continuous addition of considerable quantities of

sterile air
 Although it is possible to sterilize air by heat treatment, the most commonly used
sterilization process is filtration
 Fixed pore filters (which have an absolute rating) are very widely used in the
fermentation industry and several manufacturers produce filtration systems for air
sterilization
 These systems, like those for the sterilization of liquids, consist of pleated membrane
cartridges designed to be accommodated in stainless steel modules
 The most common construction material used for the pleated membranes for air
sterilization is PTFE (PolyTetraFluoroEthylene), which is hydrophobic and is
therefore resistant to wetting
 Also, PTFE filters may be steam sterilized and are resistant to ammonia which may be
injected into the air stream, prior to the filter, for pH control
 As was seen for the filter sterilization of liquids it is essential that a prefilter is
incorporated up-stream of the absolute filter

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 The prefilter traps large particles such as dust, oil and carbon (from the compressor)
and pipe scale and rust (from the pipework)
 The use of a coalescing (combined, united) prefilter also ensures the removal of
water from the air; entrained water is coalesced in the filter (air flow being from the
inside of the filter to the outside) and is discharged via an automatic drain

Sterilization of fermenter exhausts air

 In many traditional fermentations the exhaust gas from the fermenter was vented
without sterilization or vented through relatively inefficient depth filters
 With the advent of the use of recombinant organisms and a greater awareness of
safety and emission levels of allergic compounds the containment of exhaust air is
more common (and in the case of recombinant organisms, compulsory)
 Fixed pore membrane modules are also used for this application but the system must
be able to cope with the sterilization of water saturated air, at a relatively high
temperature and carrying a large contamination level
 Also, foam may overflow from the fermenter into the air exhaust line Thus, some
form of pretreatment of the exhaust gas is necessary before it enters the absolute filter
 This pretreatment may be a hydrophobic prefilter or a mechanical separator to remove
water, aerosol particles and foam
 The pretreated air is then fed to a 0.2 μm hydrophobic filter
 Again, it is important to appreciate that the filtration system must be steam sterilizable

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 NMEICT-MHRD (Govt. of India) Project on - Creation of e-Contents on Fermentation Technology

References

 Principles of Fermentation Technology: (2nd edition, by Peter F. Stanbury, Allan Whitaker and
Stephen J. Hall, Butterworth-Heinemann, An imprint of Elsevier Science.)
 Industrial Microbiology: (By Casida L. E.New Age international (P) ltd publications)
 A Text Book of Industrial Microbiology: (2nd edition By Wulf Crueger & Anneliese Crueger)
 Biotechnology: Food Fermentation Microbiology, Biochemistry & Technology Vol. 1 & 2:(By V.K.
Joshi & Ashok Pandey)
 Manual of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology: (2nd Edition by Arnold L. Demain and Julian
E. Davies, Ronald M. Atlas, Gerald Cohen, Charles L. Hershberger, Wei-Shou Hu, David H. Sherman,
Richard C. Willson and J. H. David Wu)
 Industrial Microbiology-An introduction: By Michael J. Waites, Neil L. Morgan, John S. Rockey and
Gary Higton)
 Comprehensive Biotechnology-The Principles, Applications and Rugulations of Biotechnology in
Industry, Agriculture and Medicine: (By Mrray Moo Young)
 Fermentation Technology : Up Stream Fermentation Technology- Vol-I: (By H. A. Modi-Pointer
Publications)
 Fermentation Technology : Down Stream Fermentation Technology- Vol-II: (By H. A. Modi-Pointer
Publications)
 Industrial Microbiology by Prescott and Dunn's: (4th edition, edited by Gerald Reed, CBR
publications)
 Fermentation Technology: (By M.L. Srivastava, NAROSA publications)
 Industrial Microbiology: (By A.H. Patel)
 International student edition: Microbiology- A laboratory Manual: (4th edition. By James G.
Chappuccino & Natalie Sherman)
 Bacteriological Techniques: (By F.J. Baker)
 Introduction to Microbial Techniques: (By Gunasekaran)
 Mannual of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology: (2nd Edition by Arnold L. Demain and Julian
E. Davies, Ronald M. Atlas, Gerald Cohen, Charles L. Hershberger, Wei-Shou Hu, David H. Sherman,
Richard C. Willson and J. H. David Wu)

Web references

 http://www.homebrew.net/ferment/
 http://www.soyinfocenter.com/HSS/fermentation.php
 http://www.ensymm.com/pdf/ensymm_fermentation_abstract.pdf
 http://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=jm.2007.201.208
 http://aem.asm.org/content/7/1/57.full.pdf
 http://www.slideshare.net/yongkangbirdnest/lecture-4-sterilization
 http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=140721
 http://www.scribd.com/doc/30706834/Fermentation-Design
 http://www.wiley-vch.de/books/sample/3527318194_c01.pdf
 http://www.engineersirelandcork.ie/downloads/Biopharmaceuticals%2020Jan09%20-%202%20-
%20Ian%20Marison%20DCU.pdf
 www.yobrew.co.uk/fermentation.php
 http://bioscipub.com/journals/bbb/pdf/19-24.pdf
 http://gertrude-old.case.edu/276/materials/web/immobilizedenzymereview.pdf
 http://download.bioon.com.cn/upload/month_0902/20090223_b809d1c59ba2a6e2abfdJtWiJOiFDm02.att
ach.pdf
 http://bioprocess-maulik.blogspot.in/2007/07/design-of-industrial-fermentation.html

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 NMEICT-MHRD (Govt. of India) Project on - Creation of e-Contents on Fermentation Technology

 http://hsc.csu.edu.au/biology/options/biotechnology/3051/biotechnologyPart3.html
 http://www.rsc.org/ebooks/archive/free/BK9780854046065/BK9780854046065-00001.pdf
 http://www.biotech.upm.edu.my/academics/On%20Line%20Note/Bioprocess/BTK%205301/Lect6%28In
oculum%20Preparation%20and%20Development%29.pdf
 http://www.biotechresources.com/services-strain.shtml
 http://www.idosi.org/wjc/4%281%2909/14.pdf
 http://cheserver.ent.ohiou.edu/Paper-gu/DualFeed.pdf

Project control No: RE-02091011297, Christ College, Rajkot, Gujarat, India