Question

Which type of process is involved to produce Crystalline Potassium Penicillin?

(a) Evaporation

(b) Annealing

(c) Decomposition

(d) Precipitation

This question was addressed to me in an international level competition.

I want to ask this question from The Story of Penicillin:How Biologists and Engineers Work Together in portion Bioprocess Development of Bioprocess Engineering

Answer 1

The correct option is (d) Precipitation

For explanation I would say: Potassium ions are added to precipitate salt of Penicillin, so as to get its pure form in the later stage and the process involved in this is salting out technique which also results in less loss of Penicillin during fermentation process.