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Bioreactors are the… (Class 12 Biology 2023, Q33a)

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BiologyCBSE Class 12 · Board exam 2023, set 57/5/1 · 5 marks · Long answer

CBSE Class 12 Biology 2023: question 33(a)

Set in the CBSE Class 12 board exam of 2023, paper 57/5/1, section E, question 33(a), for 5 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q33(a) · 5 marks · Long answerCompetency-basedBiotechnology: Principles and Processes

Bioreactors are the containment vehicles of any biotechnology-based production process. For large scale production and for economic reasons the final success of biotechnological process depends on the efficiency of the bioreactor.

Answer the following questions w.r.t. the given paragraph :

  1. (i)

    List the operational guidelines that must be adhered to so as to achieve optimisation of the bioreactor system. Enlist any four.

    0 marks
  2. (ii)

    Mention the phase of the growth we refer to in the statement “Optimisation of growth and metabolic activity of the cells”.

    0 marks
  3. (iii)

    Is the biological product formed in the bioreactor suitable for the intended use immediate ? Give reason in support of your answer.

    0 marks

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2023 board paper, set 57/5/1.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

What conditions does a living cell need in order to grow well? Think of the physical and chemical factors.

Hint 2

Recall the bacterial growth curve. In which phase is growth fastest?

Hint 3

After the product is made in the bioreactor it is still mixed with the medium and cells. Which processing step comes next?

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. (i) A bioreactor is optimised by keeping the cultures at their optimum growth conditions. Four such parameters are:

    • optimum temperature
    • optimum pH
    • adequate substrate (nutrient supply)
    • required salts and vitamins, plus adequate oxygen (aeration)
    2 marks

  2. (ii) The statement refers to the log (exponential) phase. In this phase the cells divide most rapidly and are most active metabolically.

    1 mark

  3. (iii) No, the product is not immediately suitable for its intended use.

    1 mark

  4. Reason: the product must first undergo downstream processing. This means separation and purification, then formulation with suitable preservatives, and strict quality-control testing. For drugs, clinical trials are also required before the product can be marketed.

    1 mark

Answer: (i) Optimum temperature, pH, substrate, salts, vitamins and oxygen (any four). (ii) Log/exponential phase. (iii) No; it needs downstream processing (separation, purification, formulation with preservatives, quality control/clinical trials).

Where the marks are

  • Any four of: temperature, pH, substrate, salts, vitamins, oxygen (½ × 4 = 2 marks)
  • Log/exponential phase (1 mark)
  • States 'No' (1 mark)
  • Reason: downstream processing, i.e. separation, purification, formulation, quality control or clinical trials (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from Biotechnology: Principles and Processes, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2023 board paper, set 57/5/1: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.