In: Biology
1. Which type of chain growth polymer is obtained in nature? Please explain the biological pathway
2. How can you obtain penicillin? (Hint… please consider bioprocessing-fermentation etc
1.Many common polymers can be obtained by chain polymerization such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polymethyl methacrylate, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl acetate.
Pathway: Polymerization in chain growth begins with a reaction between a monomer and a reactive species, which results in the formation of an active site. This chain growth polymerization occurs via four mechanisms: anionic, cationic, free radical, and coordination polymerization.
2.Penicillium fungi are the source of penicillin, which people can take orally or via injection. People across the globe now widely use penicillins to treat infections and diseases.
Fermentation is the technique used for the commercial production of penicillin. It is a fed-batch process that is carried out aseptically in stainless steel tank reactors with a capacity of 30 to 100 thousand gallons. ... Penicillin is excreted into the medium and recovered at the end of fermentation.