BACKGROUNDThe demand for value‐added compounds such as amylase, pyruvate and phenolic compounds produced by biological methods has prompted the rapid development of advanced technologies for their enhanced production. Nanobiohybrids (NBs) make use of both the microbial properties of whole‐cell microorganisms and the light‐harvesting efficiency of semiconductors. Photosynthetic NBs were constructed that link the biosynthetic pathways of Aspergillus niger with CuS nanoparticles.RESULTSIn this work, NB formation was confirmed by negative values of the interaction energy, i.e., 2.31 × 108 to −5.52 × 108 kJ mol−1 for CuS–Che NBs, whereas for CuS–Bio NBs the values were −2.31 × 108 to −4.62 × 108 kJ mol−1 for CuS–Bio NBs with spherical nanoparticle interaction. For CuS–Bio NBs with nanorod interaction, it ranged from −2.3 × 107 to −3.47 × 107 kJ mol−1. Further, the morphological changes observed by scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of the elements Cu and S in the energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectra and the presence of CuS bonds in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicate NB formation. In addition, the quenching effect in photoluminescence studies confirmed NB formation. Production yields of amylase, phenolic compounds and pyruvate amounted to 11.2 μmol L−1, 52.5 μmol L−1 and 28 nmol μL−1, respectively, in A. niger–CuS Bio NBs on the third day of incubation in the bioreactor. Moreover, A niger cells–CuS Bio NBs had amino acids and lipid yields of 6.2 mg mL−1 and 26.5 mg L−1, respectively. Furthermore, probable mechanisms for the enhanced production of amylase, pyruvate and phenolic compounds are proposed.CONCLUSIONAspergillus niger–CuS NBs were used for the production of the amylase enzyme and value‐added compounds such as pyruvate and phenolic compounds. Aspergillus niger–CuS Bio NBs showed a greater efficiency compared to A. niger–CuS Che NBs as the biologically produced CuS nanoparticles had a higher compatibility with A. niger cells. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

BACKGROUNDThe extraction of biopharmaceuticals from plasma and serum often employs overly complicated antiquated procedures that can inflict serious damage on especially prone protein targets and which afford low purification power and overall yields. This paper describes systematic development of a high‐gradient magnetic fishing process for recovery of immunoglobulins from unclarified antiserum.RESULTSNon‐porous superparamagnetic particles were transformed into hydrophobic‐charge induction adsorbents and then used to recover immunoglobulins from rabbit antiserum feedstocks. Comprehensive characterisation tests conducted with variously diluted clarified antiserum on a magnetic rack revealed that immunoglobulin binding was rapid (equilibrium reached in <45 s), strong (Kd < 0.1 mg mL‐1), of high capacity (Qmax = 214 mg g‐1), and pH and ionic strength dependent. In a high‐gradient magnetic fishing process conducted with the same adsorbent, and a conventional ‘magnetic filter + recycle loop’ arrangement, >72% of the immunoglobulin present in an unclarified antiserum feed was recovered in 0.5 h in >3‐fold purified form.CONCLUSIONSFast magnetic particle based capture of antibodies from an unclarified high‐titre feed has been demonstrated. Efficient product recovery from ultra‐high titre bioprocess liquors by high‐gradient magnetic fishing requires that improved magnetic adsorbents displaying high selectivity, ultra‐high capacity and operational robustness are used with ‘state‐of‐the‐art’ rotor–stator magnetic separators. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

This review examines the potential technical and energy balance hurdles in the production of seaweed biofuel, and in particular for the MacroBioCrude processing pipeline for the sustainable manufacture of liquid hydrocarbon fuels from seaweed in the UK.The production of biofuel from seaweed is economically, energetically and technically challenging at scale. Any successful process appears to require both a method of preserving the seaweed for continuous feedstock availability and a method exploiting the entire biomass. Ensiling and gasification offer a potential solution to these two requirements. However there is need for more data particularly at a commercial scale. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

The intermetallic alloy series CePd 3-x Au x (0≤x≤1) has been prepared from its constituent elements by carbon arc melting and employed as catalysts for the hydrogenation of buta-1,3-diene at 1 bar (101-5 kPa) total pressure in the temperature range 50-120°C. Selectivities for butene formation and initial butene distributions were very similar to those measured for CePd 3 and Pd-rich CePd 3-x Pd x alloys. Activity measurements showed that CePd 2 Au, was about three times more active than CePd, despite having a surface which was shown by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) to be deficient in Pd compared with the bulk and also compared with CePd 3 . Although a relationship appears to exist between catalyst activity and bulk electronic properties it can be only fortuitous and the surface electronic structure must be the important factor especially in view of the palladium-deficient surface

Abstract Despite the increasing number of reports in the literature on the immobilisation of cells or enzymes for the production of compounds of more complex nature involving multistep enzyme systems and coenzymes, no such systems are yet known to be used commercially on a large‐scale basis (vaccine production by microcarrier‐attached animal cells being an exception). Various systems that have been described are reviewed including plant and animal cells. Special emphasis is given to the choice to be made between the use of immobilised cells or immobilised enzyme sequences. In this context alternative regeneration methods for coenzymes are discussed. Special attention is brought to the potential for such biosyntheses with immobilised‐permeabilised cells. It is likely that the list of immobilised cells‐enzymes used at present and restricted to single enzymic steps will be extended in the not too distant future by more complex systems.

Abstract The decompositions of ethyleneimine (EI) and its N‐acetyl derivative (AEI) have been studied in aqueous buffers at concentrations down to 1 mM. The course is determined by pH dependence, of two alternative reactions for AEI and of two consecutive reactions for EI. Consistent kinetic systems are presented. One of the reactions of AEI is a hydrolysis to EI, not reported previously. The rate‐determining step for EI decomposition is initial dimerisation to N‐(β‐aminoethyl)‐aziridine.

Abstract The separation of cardanol from cardol and coloured impurities in technical cashew nut‐shell liquid (CNSL) has been examined by molecular and vacuum distillation and the purity of fractions carefully assessed by thin‐layer, gas‐liquid and high‐performance liquid chromatographic analysis. A small 10‐stage rotary still (Vitamins‐Watt type) produced cardanol (99%) in approx. 58% yield with a total phenolic recovery between 80 and 90%. A falling film single‐stage still (Edwards type) gave less pure cardanol and a good total phenolic recovery. Prerequisites to avoid polymerisation in conventional vacuum distillation were wide‐bore vacuum equipment and a nitrogen leak. Excessive flask and surface temperatures resulted in only a 70% total phenolic recovery, the cardanol fractions being approx. 90% pure. With a lower flask and surface temperature, by the use of a liquid‐heating bath, the total phenolic recoveries were better than those in molecular distillation and the cardanol fractions (60 %) were 90–95 % pure. The procedure of slow addition enabled the scale of apparatus to be reduced. The distillation of hydrogenated technical CNSL appeared less satisfactory than that of the unsaturated material.