ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the main criteria used to select separation and purification steps on a rational basis. Separation and purification of a protein from a large-scale fermentation or cell rupture supernatant is a critical element of modern process biotechnology. The equipment is selected mainly on the basis of the microbial source, as each type of microbe presents particular resistance to disruption. The choice of disruption technique determines the size of the resulting debris, which in turn has an influence on subsequent operations. Handling and transfer of protein solutions during separation and purification operations can have important effects on the quality of the final product, overall yield, and hence selection of operations. Problems related to the large-scale handling of protein solutions can fall into the following groups: denaturation, aggregation, stability, and degradation. Selection of actual operations is based on information generated at a small scale to determine performance and efficiency of particular separations.
