Pharmaceutica

ls
Designing & Producing Effective
Medicines

GOAL

To learn about pharmaceutical drug delivery

systems, how they work, and why they help
improve patients’ lives

2024-08-15_v1.0
Breakout Development Team

ERIK EINSET MARIA KRUG

College: Cornell BS ‘86 College: University of Notre Dame

U. of Minnesota PhD ‘91 ‘22
Major: Chemical Engineering Major: Chemical Engineering
Industry Experience: GE, GIP - 30 Industry Experience: AbbVie
years
Have you ever ANSWER ME!

wondered...
• How a pharmaceutical drug reaches its site
Why might drugs be
administered in different ways,
of action in your body? like by mouth or by injection?
• How to build the most efficient drug delivery
system you can?!
Because depending on the
way its administered can
maybe detirine howfast its
delivered into your system
and where it travels to or
works.

3
PART 1

Engineering
Applications to
Pharmaceuticals
4
What are
Pharmaceutical Drugs?
• Pharmaceuticals are an important aspect of
medicine: some people need them to survive.
• Pharmaceuticals are chemical substances used
for the prevention or treatment of a disease,
and they help restore or correct functions in
the body.

PHARMACEUTICAL
MANUFACTURING EQUATION:

Active
Pharmaceutica Excipient
Drug
l Ingredient s
(API)
BIOLOGICALLY INACTIVE
ACTIVE FILLERS

5
How are engineers involved with
pharmaceuticals?
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Design and manage the production of life-saving Determine the complex chemical process by
medical equipment, including pacemakers, artificial which to synthesize active drug ingredients &
limbs, and wearable pharmaceutical drug delivery design a drug’s unique method of action to reach
devices a specific target

This pharmaceutical drug delivery device delivers The receptor shown is Drug A’s target. Drug-target
drug directly to the intestine via a surgically installed interactions are specific & can be understood by
tube system. the lock-key analogy: the target is a lock on the door
that only a certain drug (the key) can bind to and
open. 6
How are engineers involved with
pharmaceuticals?
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Design and develop complex machines and Analyze production of pharmaceutical drugs in order
equipment used for drug product manufacturing to make more efficient manufacturing processes– the
goal
is reduce defective batches

Production lines, like this one shown, consist of Drug manufacturers turn to advanced automation
several pieces of equipment. technologies, as shown, in order to reduce time,
cost, and risk of production.

7
Engineering Connection
to the Common Good
• Humanity has always sought to transcend
barriers, overcome challenges, and create
opportunities that improve people’s lives.

• One primary goal of engineering is to

contribute to the common good by
improving people’s lives.

• Engineers create the best technologies

and processes to bring solutions to real-
world problems.

8
Engineer Testament about ANSWER ME!

Contribution to the How is working as an engineer in

pharmaceuticals impactful and
Common Good fulfilling?

Type your answer here

Its impactful and fulfilling

because you help develop and
manufacture life saving
medication and treatments that
can really help people

9
PART 2

Methods of
Pharmaceutical Drug
Delivery

10
Pharmaceutical Drug
Delivery Systems
Pharmaceutical drug delivery systems WHY ARE PHARMACEUTICAL DRUG
DELIVERY SYSTEMS IMPORTANT?
are engineered technologies for the
targeted delivery and/or the They help ensure that the active
controlled release of the active drug is available at the site of action
pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in the (“the right place”) in the body
human body. according to the need of the patient
for an intended duration (“the right
time”)
Toxic side effects for patients are
reduced since drug is selectively
delivered only to unhealthy cells.

11
Different Types of Pharmaceutical Drug
Delivery
ORAL ADMINISTRATION INHALATION
taken by mouth through the digestive tract - taken directly into the bloodstream via the lungs
in liquid or pill form

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

● Easy ● Slow absorption ● Fastest way to ● Potential irritation in
● Drugs can be ● Won’t work if patient deliver drug to brain the mouth
protected from cannot swallow or is ● Rapid absorption ● Prone to dosage
harmful digestive vomiting errors if inhaler
tract enzymes technique is bad 12
 Different Types of Pharmaceutical Drug
Delivery
INTRAVENOUS INJECTION SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTION
drug is injected directly into a patient’s vein drug is injected into the layer between skin and
muscle (cutis skin layer)

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

● Dependable ● Less desirable for ● Drug diffuses slowly ● May result in
● Dose skips first pass patients into body bruising
metabolism: drug ● More complicated, ● Great for vaccine ● Since drug diffuses
reaches circulatory requires medical administration! slowly, not suitable
system immediately assistance for emergencies 13
Drug Delivery
Systems
THINK!
What type of pharmaceutical drug
delivery system do you think a
continuous insulin pump is?

1. The insulin is housed inside the

pump in a cartridge

3 2. Insulin travels into your body

through a flexible tube that
ends with a tiny needle inserted
just under the skin

2 1
3. The needle is held by an
adhesive patch stuck to the
skin

subcutaneous infusion system

14
Watch and Answer ANSWER ME!

What are three benefits of a

This video explains how nanoparticles are used in targeted pharmaceutical drug
the application of a targeted pharmaceutical drug delivery system?
delivery system.
Type your answers here

Increased drug efficacy

1. Reduced side affects

2. Improved patient
compliance

15
PART 3

Fundamentals of
Diffusion

16
Drug Transport via Diffusion across Cell
Membranes

BLOOD
VESSEL

After you swallow a The drug substance Drug is absorbed by

pill, it makes its way is broken down in blood cell
to the stomach. the stomach and membranes via
liver. diffusion. BLOOD
CELL
MEMBRAN
E DRUG
MOLECULE
OUTSIDE OF
Drugs diffuse across a cell BLOOD CELL
membrane from areas of CELL MEMBRANE

HIGH → LOW concentration MEMBRAN DRUG

E MOLECULE
INSIDE OF CELL
MEMBRANE 17
Fick’s First Law of
Diffusion
FICK’S FIRST LAW: IN WORDS DIFFUSION FLUX = MOVEMENT OF
PARTICLES
Diffusion flux from high to low
concentration is directly proportional to
the particle’s concentration gradient

FICK’S FIRST LAW: MATHEMATICAL

FORMULA

DRIVING FORCE
The concentration gradient is the
Driving Force for diffusion

18
Simple Diffusion vs
Facilitated Diffusion
Membranes are composed of lipids… Factors that Increase Rate of Diffusion:

● Small, lipid soluble drug molecules can cross ● Increases in…

on their own via simple passive diffusion. ○ Temperature
● Large drug molecules need help to cross via ○ Surface Area
facilitated passive diffusion. ○ Lipid solubility
○ Concentration gradient

● Decreases in…
○ Membrane thickness
V ○ Drug molecule size
s

19
 Diffusion through Engineered Barriers

SEMIPERMEABLE MEMBRANES POLYMERS

Thin barriers that are engineered to only allow Materials that are engineered to slow the rate of
certain molecules to diffuse through. diffusion of the drug substance inside

Large
molecules
cannot go
through the
membrane!

Selective diffusion

20
Diffusion: Chemical Engineering
Connection
Chemical engineers must understand the
fundamentals of diffusion when designing a
variety of processes…
WATER TREATMENT GAS SCRUBBING BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES

Reverse osmosis is the process where dirty Gas scrubbing devices are used for air Diffusion allows for oxygen absorption
water diffuses through a semipermeable pollution control: they remove by the lungs. Oxygen then diffuses to
membrane to filter out contaminants, like particulates from flue gas to release oxygen-poor parts of the body, like
salt water ions. clean gas. muscles.
21
PART 4

Your Pharmaceutical
Drug Delivery
Challenge
22
How is drug release
controlled in the body?
ENTERIC COATINGS
Enteric coatings are commonly adopted in
oral pharmaceutical drug delivery systems
to…
1. Form a shell to protect a particular
drug
2. Prevent it from leaking out before
reaching the targeted site

POLYMERS
are materials of long, repeating chains of
molecules that dissolve over time…
Engineers often formulate enteric
coatings from polymers so drug release
is delayed over time.

23
Choosing Polymers for
Enteric-Coated Drug
Capsules
In this lab, you will be using Polyvinyl Polymer Coatings for Dry Filled
Alcohol (PVA) as your polymer. Capsule
HARD GELATIN
What do all of these polymers have in ● Most common
common that make them suitable capsule
materials for pharmaceutical drug ● Cheapest option
delivery?
● Water-soluble
● Safe to consume
● Non-allergenic HYDROXYPROPYL
● Economical METHYLCELLULOSE
(HMPC)
Compared to gelatin, HPMC is more suitable for:
● Highly reactive molecules
● Moisture-sensitive products

24
A Closer Look into
Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)
The subscript “n” denotes the
degree of polymerization, that
is, the number of repeating
PVA SHEET units linked together.

Chemical
Formula
(C2H4O)n
What is the value of n for this
structure?

Chemical
Structure

“Ball and Stick”

Chemical n = fill in number here
Structure

25
Dual Delayed Release PEAK 1

(DDR) Drug Delivery Releases in the proximal

small intestine at pH 5.5

Systems
DDR drug delivery systems have a a
PEAK 1
PEAK 2
(about 1 hour after pill
is swallowed)
plasma concentration-time profile
PEAK 2
characterized by 2 distinct peaks, leading
Releases in more distal
to an extended duration of therapeutic regions of small intestine
action. at pH 6.75 (about 5
hours after pill is
swallowed
EXAMPLE: DEXLANSOPRAZOLE
● For treatment of acid reflux
● The DDR technology uses 2 types of
enteric-coated granules with different
pH-dependent dissolution profiles
The pill is able to pass
the stomach (pH <5)
PEAK 1 without dissolving before
RELEASE it reaches its site of
action (the intestine).

PEAK 2
RELEASE

26
The Essential Question

In the rest of this lesson, you will create

your own dual delayed release drug delivery
system.

You will do this by using the Engineering

Design Process in order to answer the
question:

• How can I create a pharmaceutical

drug delivery system that releases
its two active ingredients (colors) at
two distinct timepoints?

27
Think
Pretend you are a chemical engineer.
How would you use the Engineering
Design Process to create a dual
delayed release drug delivery
system?

What action would you do with each

step of the process?
Click HERE
for more infor
mation on the
Engineering De
sign Process!

28
 The Components for Pharmaceutical Drug
Delivery

8 x Color 15 x Water Soluble

Tablet Stabilizers

3 x Paper
Clips 1 x Napkin
BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

PLEASE NOTE!!!
Do NOT consume any of
the materials used for
this lab!

30
Engineering Process

STEP 1: Identify a Problem STEP 4: Build

● Brainstorm. Why might a patient ● Using layering materials,
need a dual delayed release drug individually wrap two differently
delivery system? colored tablets in different ways.
STEP 2: Research STEP 5: Test Your Solution
● Test the water solubility of your ● Submerge your pill in water!
materials you may be using for
your enteric coating! STEP 6: Analyze
● Does your pill fulfill its purpose?
STEP 3: Design Your Solution
What changes would you make?
● Plan out your idea. What layers of
materials will you use to make
one color release slower than the
other?

31
Engineering Process
Step One: Identify the Problem
ANSWER ME! What problem are you trying to solve? Why is solving this problem important?

Type your answer here

32
 Watch the video, and record
Engineering Process your observations from the
video regarding how fast each
Step Two: Research tablet dissolves. Take note of
how the material affects the
rate of diffusion.

Yellow tablet (3 layers of water

soluble):
At firstpaper):
it dissolves in water
slowly but then it starts
dissolving faster
Red tablet (1 layer of water
soluble paper):
Dissolves at a fast speed

Blue tablet (1 layer of tissue

paper):
Dissolves at a slow pace

Overall observations:
The tablets with the more
water soluable paper like
yellow and red dissolve way
faster than the blue which is
less soluable paper
33
Engineering Process
Step 3: Design your
Solution
Engineers use criteria and constraints in order to
evaluate which of their solution ideas is the most
effective. A constraint is a condition or limitation that
your design must have. Consider the constraints below
as you design your solution.
Tape or other
material to secure
YOUR CONSTRAINTS tablets together
● Two differently colored tablets will be used in your
drug delivery system (red, blue, or yellow). They
are to be separately wrapped in layering materials
to meet the timepoints of color release. Tablet Tablet
1 2
● Secure the two individually wrapped tablets
together. Be creative! You can use tape,
rubberbands, paperclips, or your own idea.
● When submerged in water, the pill should release
each color at different times.
34
Engineering Process:
Design your Solution
Consider how the water solubility of your coating BE CREATIVE
materials will affect the delay of release of each tablet. You may use staples, tape, glue,
Note: you may choose to only use 1 coating per tablet. or other materials to secure the
layers around the tablet.
COATING 1
COATING 2

Inner Coating

Outer Coating

Ideas for materials: water soluble

stabilizer paper (supplied by
Engineering Tomorrow), tissue
paper, toilet paper, paper towel…
35
Before you build, watch this video!

This 2 minute video

shows an example
of the process to
build a drug delivery
system prototype!

36
Engineering Process: Test

Test your pill by submerging the prototype in cup of

water.

Take photos & record the time when the following

occur:

1. Beginning of color release for Tablet 1

(Goal is to have 5+ seconds delayed)

2. Beginning of color release for Tablet 2

(Goal is to have 30+ seconds delayed)

3. Final solution: both tablets have fully diffused

Engineering Process: Test (EXAMPLE)
Engineering Process: Test
(EXAMPLE)
Insert photo when Tablet 1 Insert photo when Tablet 2 Insert photo when both tablets
began release. began release. were completely released..
Time: _____________ Time: _____________ Time: _____________

TIME: 50 SECONDS
TIME: 15 SECONDS TIME: 5 MINUTES

39
 Design of Drug Delivery System: Prototype #1
Engineering Process: Test
Insert Drawing of Prototype #1
your tablets and how you (Record your
packaged/wrapped them. results below).

Time of Did your solution meet What can you change to achieve the desired 5
Tablet 1 Color Tablet the goal? and 30 second release?
Release (Too Early, On Time, Too Late) (Too Early, On Time, Too Late)

Tablet 1 (Goal 5 sec)

 Engineering Process: Test
Prototype #1 (Record your results below).

Insert photo when Tablet 1 Insert photo when Tablet 2 Insert photo when both tablets
began release. began release. were completely released..
Time: _____________ Time: _____________ Time: _____________

Did your results match the targeted color Write your observations here
of solution at each time point? Write any
observations to the right.
41
 Design of Drug Delivery System: Prototype #1
Engineering Process: Test
Prototype
Insert Drawing of your #2
tablets and how you (Record them.
packaged/wrapped your results below).

Time of Did your solution meet What can you change to achieve the desired 5
Tablet Color Tablet the goal? and 30 second release?
Release (Too Early, On Time, Too Late) (Too Early, On Time, Too Late)

Tablet 1 (Goal 5 sec)

 Engineering Process: Test
Prototype #2(Record your results below).

Insert photo when Tablet 1 Insert photo when Tablet 2 Insert photo when both tablets
began release. began release. were completely released..
Time: _____________ Time: _____________ Time: _____________

Did your results match the targeted color Write your observations here
of solution at each time point? Write any
observations to the right.
43
 Design of Drug Delivery System: FINAL DESIGN
Engineering Process: Test
Insert Drawing ofFinal Design
your tablets (Record your
and how you packaged/wrapped results below).
them.

Time of Did your solution meet What can you change to achieve the desired 5
Tablet Color Tablet the goal? and 30 second release?
Release (Too Early, On Time, Too Late) (Too Early, On Time, Too Late)

Tablet 1 (Goal 5 sec)

 Engineering Process: Test
Final Design (Record your results below).

Insert photo when Tablet 1 Insert photo when Tablet 2 Insert photo when both tablets
began release. began release. were completely released..
Time: _____________ Time: _____________ Time: _____________

Did your results match the targeted color Write your observations here
of solution at each time point? Write any
observations to the right.
45
Engineering Process ANSWER ME!

Step Six: Analyze Your Did you notice that the colored
tablets release gas when they
Results
The colored tablets are made from sodium dissolved in water?
bicarbonate, which undergo the following reaction
when in contact with water: Type your answers here

CARBO
N
DIOXIDE
BUBBLE
S
The gas
release you
saw in the lab
is carbon
dioxide!

46
Engineering Process
Step Six: Analyze Your Results
Fill out this chart to see the cost of the materials for your
design!
Cost per Product
Cost Quantity (Column C: Multiply Column A by Column
Pharmaceutical Drug Delivery Material (Column A) (Column B) B)

1 tablet $1.00 2 $2
1 water soluble (8"x8") $0.10
1 toilet paper sheet $0.10
1 paper towel (2"x2") $0.10
1 tissue wrapping paper (2"x2") $0.10
1 Kleenex facial tissue (2"x2") $0.10
1 staple $0.10
Tape (1") $0.10
Glue $0.20
Drug Delivery Method
Total Cost
(Sum Column C)
47
Reflection
ANSWER ME!

What is something you would do

What do you think went well when
differently if you were to do this
completing this activity?
again?

Write your answer here Write your answer here

Complete the
mandatory 5-
minute Exit
Ticket by
clicking HERE!

48
Continue to Explore

IF YOU LIKED TODAY’S BREAKOUT, TYPES OF ENGINEERING RELEVANT TO

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN THESE TODAY’S BREAKOUT:
TOPICS:

● Drug discovery ● Biomedical Engineering

● Personalized medicine ● Chemical Engineering

● Medical devices ● Manufacturing Engineering

● Genomics ● Mechanical Engineering

● Materials Science

49
Extension Activity
This section will provide an overview of the optional
extension activity. This activity is an opportunity for
students to dive deeper and ideate. The materials
associated with the extension labs may not provide
as many detailed instructions as the main lab
activity.

50
Optional Extension Activity

Biological Drug Processing

& Cell Fermentation
Optional Extension for
Biological Drug
Processing and Cell
Fermentation
Goal: To learn about
biological drug
processing,
specifically focusing
on cellular
fermentation

52
Biological Drug
Manufacturing Manufacturing Basics

Biomanufacturing involves
engineering a cell to produce
a specific protein.

Since biological drugs are made

for patient use, they must be free
from contaminants.

Biomanufacturing takes place in a

cleanroom, which is a controlled
manufacturing environment
where pollutants like dust,
airborne microbes, and
aerosol particles are filtered
out in order to provide the
cleanest area possible.
Manufacturing technicians in the cleanroom facility
must wear protective gowning to protect the drug
product from contaminants like skin cells, hair, and
germs.
Biological Drug Process
Overview Goal of Each Step

1. Cell Line: Obtain working cell bank

based on the cell line’s ability to produce
the desired protein.

2. Cultivation: Grow cells in

controllable conditions.

3. Fermentation: Exponentially grow

cells in number and concentration and
induce cells to produce product protein.

4. Filtration and Purification:

separate desired product protein from
cellular debris, process impurities, and
viruses.
5. Formulation and Packaging:
Prepare the product into what the
patient receives!

54
A Closer Look at Fermentation
Watch this video!

55
Operation Modes of
Bioreactors
Batch: no inflow, no outflow
All nutrients are provided at the beginning of
the cultivation
Products removed at the end

Fed Batch: periodic inflow of feed nutrients, no

outflow
Begins identical to batch, but nutrients are
periodically fed into bioreactor to avoid
nutrient depletion
Products removed at the end

Continuous: continuous inflow of feed nutrients,

continuous outflow of waste
Fresh nutrients are continuously fed into
bioreactor
Cells and waste continuously removed (which
undergo filtration via internal or external cell
56
retention system)
 Operation Modes of Bioreactors
Batch Fed Batch Continuous

Advantages Operational simplicity, easy to Longer process (because Longer process with faster
manage cells don’t run out of production time than fed
nutrients as fast as batch
Less chance of contamination as batch)
nutrients are only added at Can control the growth rate
beginning (opening the bioreactor Less down time (determined by the rate you
for inputs poses risk of refresh the medium)
contamination) Can be used to switch
genes on or off by Removal of cell debris and
Separation of batch material for changing the feed waste products throughout
traceability process

Disadvanta Short duration, long downtime to More complex and prone Most complex and prone to
ges clean bioreactor in between runs to contamination than error
batch (due to feed
Initial conditions are important addition) Nutrient feed use is inefficient
(slight deviation in media may and wasted as it is
ruin batch) No removal of cell debris continuously fed
or waste products
No removal of cell debris or waste The products cannot be neatly
products separated into batches for 57
Activity Overview
Steps:
Your Challenge: Pretending that yeast is your cell
culture, determine an optimal nutrient formulation 1. Learn about biological
for your own bioreactor design! drug processing,
specifically focusing on the
fermentation step
2. Design various nutrient
formulations to feed your
“cells”
3. Build your “bioreactors” by
mixing yeast, warm water,
and nutrient formulation in
a sealed plastic bag
4. Test your formulations
5. Learn from your results
and design a bioreactor
operation!
Lab Materials

● 5 Small Ziploc
Bags

● ~12 tbsp yeast

● 5-7 tbsp sugar

● 1 tbsp cornstarch

● Warm water

59
Fermentation Breakdown
General Fermentation Biological Drug Processing Lab Activity

Process Vessel Bioreactor Sealed plastic bag

Input 1: Living Cells Yeast

organism

Input 2: Nutrients Growth media formulation ???

containing cell nutrients
Extension Activity: Determine
optimal nutrient formulation!!!

↓ ↓ ↓

Product Cell debris + product protein Ethanol + Carbon Dioxide

60
Creating Your Procedu
re
Formulations! 1. Label a resealable snack-size
plastic bag with the formulation #
from the Formulation Table on the
Formulation Table left
2. To each bag, add the appropriate
Formulation Nutrients Yeast amount of yeast and sugar
# according to the Formulation Table
3. Add ~¼ cup of warm water,
1 1 tsp sugar* 1 tsp and seal bag immediately
(removing as much air as
2 1 tsp sugar* 2 tsp possible)
4. Mix gently for ~10 seconds,
3 1 tsp sugar* 3 tsp then lay bag flat and start a
stopwatch

4 1 tsp 3 tsp 5. Monitor bags: Measure bag

cornstarch thickness and take
observational notes on the
provided table at 2.5 minute
1 tsp = 1 teaspoon
increments**
*1 tsp sugar = 1 sugar
packet **Release bag if it becomes too inflated
to avoid popping it! 61
Activity Setup

1. Label a
resealable snack- 3. Add ~¼ cup of
size plastic bag warm water, and
with the seal bag
formulation # immediately
(removing as
2. To each bag,
much air as
add the
possible)
appropriate
amount of yeast 4. Mix gently for
and sugar ~10 seconds and
according to the lay bag flat and
Formulation Table start a stopwatch

62
Activity Setup

5. Monitor bags:
Measure bag
thickness and take
observational notes
on the provided table
at 2.5 minute
increments**
**Release bag if it
becomes too inflated
to avoid popping it! If
time allows, you can
let bags sit longer to
see further inflation
occur… just don’t let it
pop!!
MEASURING TIP: Place a flat object (like a clipboard or another
ruler) on top of the bag to make it level when taking measurements
of bag thickness at each timepoint.
63
Activity Observations
Fill in the empty values for each timepoint

Bag Thickness (cm)

Cornstarch
Yeast (tsp) Sugar (tsp)
(tsp)
0 min 2.5 min 5 min 7.5 min 10 min

1 1 0
2 1 0
3 1 0
3 0 1

Observational Notes
at Time Point:

64
Calculating Reaction
Rates
● It’s time to calculate a reaction rate for each formulation. Follow the series of calculations in the
table below.
● NOTE: We are assuming 0.1 cm back thickness is equal to 2 L of gas produced.
● Fill in the empty values in the table below
Final Values
COLUMN A COLUMN B COLUMN C COLUMN D

Time (min) Bag Volume of Reaction Rate

Sugar Cornstarch Thickness Gas Produced (L of Gas
Yeast (tsp) = 10 minutes
(tsp) (tsp) (cm) (L) Produced per
(Change value if
your final time
minute)
= Value of bag = Column B *
point was
thickness at final (2 L gas / 0.1cm) = Column C /
different)
time point from Column A
the previous slide

1 1 0 10

2 1 0 10

3 1 0 10

3 0 1 10
65
Fermentation Chemical
Reaction Equation
Think: Why is yeast
not in the chemical
reaction equation?

Yeast is a catalyst
A catalyst is a
substance that
increases the rate of
a chemical reaction,
without itself
undergoing any
permanent chemical
change

66
Mole Ratios in
Chemical Reactions Mole Ratios

Mole ratio: A ratio between the

number of moles of any two
substances in a chemical equation

Example: Haber Process

Coefficien
t
1 N₂ (g) + 3 H₂ (g) → 2 NH₃
(g)
Nitrogen Hydrogen Ammonia
Gas Gas Gas

1 mole of nitrogen reacts

with
3 moles of hydrogen to
produce
2 moles of ammonia
67
Fermentation ANSWER ME!

Chemical Reaction 1. What is the mole ratio? Fill in the blanks…

Equation ___ mole(s) of glucose reacts to form ___

mole(s) of ethanol and ___ mole(s) of
carbon dioxide

2. Consider Formulation 1: How many moles of

ethanol would be formed if the 1 teaspoon of
sugar (or glucose) was completely consumed?
How many grams?
1. Record how much 1 teaspoon of sugar weighs in
Potentially useful values: grams
● 1 teaspoon of sugar weighs 2. Convert grams of glucose to moles of glucose
3. Use the mole ratio to figure out how many moles of
~5 grams ethanol are produced from the moles of glucose
● Glucose: 180.2 g/mol consumed
Show your work here
● Ethanol: 46.1 g/mol
● Carbon Dioxide: 44.0 g/mol
Designing your
Bioreactor
Challenge:
Goal: Produce 1000 L of gas from
your bioreactor operation
Determine: What reaction rate
would you use and how long does
the reaction need to run to meet
your goal?
Think: What design formulation
led to the fastest reaction rate in
your lab activity? How long would
this reaction have to run to meet
your goal? What is the chemical
reaction equation that governs
fermentation?

69
Designing Your
Bioreactor
Parameter Description Design Value or
Condition

Operation Mode Batch, Fed Batch, or Continuous

Feed Type What nutrient formulation was the most optimal feed
(sugar or cornstarch)?

Catalyst Substance increasing rate of reaction without undergoing

chemical change

Products What is chemically produced through the interaction of

the feed and catalyst?

Temperature Research the ideal temperature for fermentation of cells

pH of Influent Feed Look up the pH of your feed type (example: Glucose sugar
is pH 7)

Total Volume of Gas Goal: 1000 L 1000 L CO₂

Produced

Reaction Time Duration of reaction in bioreactor

Reaction Rate Total Volume of Gas divided by Reaction Time

70
Reflect on Your Design and
Results
ANSWER ME!

What are other ways to further

What did you notice about your How do you think you could increase your rate of reaction?
most optimal nutrient improve your formulation to make (THINK: Ideal temperature to grow
formulation? (HINT: Did starchy or the yeast produce more carbon cells in bioreactor is ~37oC, but
sugary nutrients ferment better?) dioxide (& inflate the bag more)? the temperature of lukewarm
water used in this activity is
~15oC.)
Write your answer here Write your answer here Write your answer here

71
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