Scale-Up of Enzyme Purification

Abstract

In general, enzymes now sold for industrial uses are very crude compared to those sold for research or for medical purposes. Eventually, the demand for pure enzymes will climb as medical applications increase and more highly purified grades are needed in bulk quantities for immobilization and for industrial situations where better process control and fewer side reactions are important. Current processes for enzyme purification make extensive use of gel chromatography, an operation poorly suited for large scale application because of a serious deterioration of performance as the size of the column is increased. Either such steps must be improved dramatically or alternatives must be found. This paper assesses some purification technology and possible future trends in this field.