Question

Which one of the following equipment is essentially required for growing microbes on a large scale, for industrial production of enzymes?
(A) BOD incubator
(B) Sludge digester
(C) Industrial oven
(D) Bioreactor

Answer 1

Hint: The microbes are used for the commercial production of the enzymes for the purpose of the diagnosing, treatment and the other useful purposes in the medical field. Not all the microbes cause diseases, some of them produce the useful enzymes too. So these microbes are grown separately in a large mass.

Complete Answer:
- The microbes cannot be grown in an open environment, there might be attacks of other pathogenic microbes. So the specialized vessels used for growing the microbes in large scale are called the bioreactor.
- The bioreactors are the cylindrical tank that is provided with the stirrer. The microbes that produce the enzymes require oxygen for its growth.
- So the stirrer in the bioreactor continuously stir the mixture to provide the sufficient air throughout the bio reaction.
- The proper conditions must be regulated throughout the process like temperature, water availability, air supply, nutrient availability etc. The BOD incubator is used to maintain the correct temperature of the microbial growth culture.
- The sludge digester is the apparatus in which the microbial bacteria is used to break down the sludge in the waste treatment plants. The industrial ovens are used to dry and sterilize the culture.

Thus the option (D) is correct.

Note: There are six types of the bioreactors in use. They are continuous stirred tank bioreactors, bubble column bioreactors, airlift bioreactors, fluidized bed bioreactors, packed bed bioreactors and the photo bioreactors. Out of which the most commonly used bioreactor is continuous stirred.