title: Microscale technology and biocatalytic processes: opportunities and challenges for synthesis.
abstract: Despite the expanding presence of microscale technology in chemical synthesis and energy production as well as in biomedical devices and analytical and diagnostic tools, its potential in biocatalytic processes for pharmaceutical and fine chemicals, as well as related industries, has not yet been fully exploited. The aim of this review is to shed light on the strategic advantages of this promising technology for the development and realization of biocatalytic processes and subsequent product recovery steps, demonstrated with examples from the literature. Constraints, opportunities, and the future outlook for the implementation of these key green engineering methods and the role of supporting tools such as mathematical models to establish sustainable production processes are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Sigma-Aldrich, Industriestrasse 25, CH-9470 Buchs, Switzerland. Electronic address: roland.wohlgemuth@sial.com.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wohlgemuth
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Večna pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Plazl
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Večna pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Polona
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Žnidaršič-Plazl
authors.affiliation: CAPEC-PROCESS Research Center, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Building 229, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Krist V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Gernaey
authors.affiliation: CAPEC-PROCESS Research Center, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Building 229, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Woodley
mesh_terms: D055162:Biocatalysis; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D055772:Green Chemistry Technology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D044085:Microfluidics; D008962:Models, Theoretical
keywords: biocatalytic process; enzymatic microreactors; flow synthesis; microscale technology; miniaturized production; process intensification