BIOLOGY
FOR
ENGINEERS
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WHAT IS
BIOLOGY ?
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BRANCHES OF
BIOLOGY:
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APPLICATIONS Biomechanics : study of
mechanics of living
IN organisms.
Bio-inspired
robotics:
ENGINEERING technologies inspired by
nature.
Syntheticbiology: designing
of many circuits and models.
Biomedical engineering: uses
of principles of biology in
medical devices.
Bioreactor
design: to grow
and maintain biological
cultures.
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Module -1
BIOMOLECULES AND
THEIR APPLICATIONS
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BIOMOLECULES • Biomolecules are organic
molecules & building blocks of
living organisms.
• Types of biomolecules:
1. Carbohydrates : made up
of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
2. Lipids: Generally insoluble
in water.
3. Proteins : Made up of
amino acids.
4. Nucleic acids: Organic
molecules that store genetic
information. They include DNA &
RNA.
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CELLULOSE IN WATER FILTER:
• Cellulose : naturally occurring
polymer made up of repeated units
of glucose.
• Widely available and renewable
resource
• Filtration : fibrous
porous material
facilitates filtration.
• Structural support:
Maintains shape and
doesn’t collapse under
pressure.
• Binding agent: Can
be used as binder to
hold other filter
ROLE OF materials.
CELLULOSE IN • Biodegradability: can
break down naturally in
WATER FILTERS: the environment.
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• Material selection
• Processing
DESIGN AND • Filter design
DEVELOPMENT OF • Chemical treatment
CELLULOSE BASED • Testing
WATER FILTER: • Production
• Maintenance
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P O LY H Y D R OX YA L K A N O AT E S ( P H A
) AS BIOPLASTIC:
• PHA are biodegradable polymers that can
be produced by microorganisms from
renewable resources such as plant- based
oils , agricultural wastes etc.
• PHA is non -toxic and doesn’t release any
harmful chemicals.
• PHA bioplastics are promising alternative
to traditional plastics.
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ADVANTAGES OF PHA AS BIOPL ASTICS:
• Biodegradability
• Versatility
• Renewable
• Non-toxic
• Produced using microorganisms by fermentation
PRODUCTION process.
OF PHA: Steps involved in PHA production:
•
i. Selection of microorganisms: Cupriavidus necator,
Pseudomonas oleovorans, Alcaligenes eutrophus
ii. Growth of microorganisms: in nutrient rich
medium contains carbon source( glucose, starch ,oil,
or any waste) to produce PHA.
iii. Extraction of PHA: from bacterial cells by different
methods such as enzymatic digestion, chemical
extraction.
iv. Purification of PHA: to remove residual bacterial
cells by using methods filtration , centrifugation.
v. Processing of PHA: into different forms such as
films, fibers etc.
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T H E D E V E LO P M E N T
OF PHA PLASTICS:
1. Fermentation
2. Extraction
3. Purification
4. Processing
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POLYL ACTIC ACID(PL A) AS BIOPL ASTIC:
• PLA are biodegradable and
compostable thermoplastic that
can be produced by renewable
resources such as corn starch,
sugarcane etc.
• PLA is produced by polymerizing
lactic acid derived from
fermentation of corn starch or
other plant- based sources.
• Applications: in packaging
materials, food containers,
disposable utensils & clothing.
PROPERTIES OF
PL A:
Biodegradability
Renewable resources
Versatility
Mechanical properties
Low environmental impact
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PL A
PRODUCTION:
Raw material preparation: produced by
a.
corn starch, sugarcane .
b. Fermentation: by microbes such as
Lactobacillus or Bacillus to produce lactic
acid.
c. Purification: of lactic acid by various
chemicals.
d. Processing: into different forms such as
pellets, sheets.
e. Melting and molding: of pellets by
different methods.
f. Cooling and finishing: Plastic products
need to be cooled and finished. This
includes trimming of excess material,
smoothing rough edges.
g. Testing and quality control: to ensure the 16
quality standards.
