ABSTRACT
The membrane reactor is gaining increasing attention in the chemical and biotechnology industries. In particular, the membrane reactor was extensively studied for application in fermentation processes, as a membrane bioreactor. Various membrane separation processes can be used in a membrane bioreactor, although most of the work was concerned with ultrafiltration and microfiltration, in combination with the fermenter. An example described in detail in this chapter shows that a reverse osmosis membrane can also be used for the separation of the product from the mixture of microorganisms, substrates, and nutrients. Often, microorganisms and enzymes that act as biocatalysts are immobilized to membranes, mostly to hollow fiber membranes. Recently, the membrane reactor was extended from bioreaction to ordinary chemical reactions. The chapter describes a membrane fermenter in which a reverse osmosis and an ultrafiltration membrane are used.
