This review focuses on the performance of immobilized cells bioreactors
utilizing a magnetic field. These reactors utilized immobilized cells on the
magnetic particles or beads as the solid phase. All published researches dealing
with the performance of Immobilized cells bioreactors utilizing a magnetic from
the early sixties of the last century to the present time were considered and
analyzed. It was noted that many microorganism such as Saccharomyces
cerevisiae were immobilized on different supports in these reactors. These
papers used the magnetic field for several purposes mostly for stabilization of the
magnetic particles to prevent their washout from the column while operating
with relatively high substrate flow rates to enhance mass transfer processes. It
was observed that most publications used an axial magnetic field. In addition,
most of the magnetic particles were prepared by entrapment. Some comments
were presented at the end of the review which shows the gaps in this promising
application.