Bioseparations

The image above shows class notes that talk about the requirements and difficulties associated with separations in bioprocesses. The important aspects here are similar to those of bioreactors, as bioseparations are often difficult to handle due to the complexity of the system and due to requirements. A particularly important requirement involves the purity of bioproducts such as pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceuticals must have at least 98% purity in order to be approved for public use, and achieving this purity requires a multitude of steps. Therefore, it is common that purification alone accounts for the majority of the costs of manufacturing. This is clearly a huge challenge in pharmaceuticals, but it is a necessary challenge to work to achieve the requirements as it is a matter of public safety and public health. When dealing with public health, particularly when working to produce materials that are meant to directly affect public health, not abiding by requirements, or not having adequate requirements, is a serious risk to public health. This is an additional example of how challenges that seem tedious are important due to the public health and safety reasons behind the challenges.