The next challenge is to purify the antibiotic specifically and
efficiently, and elaborate methods for extraction and purification
of the antibiotic are often necessary. The goal is to eventually
obtain a crystalline product of high purity. Depending on the
process, further purification steps may be necessary to remove
traces of microbial cells or cell products if they co-purify with
the antibiotic. These substances, called pyrogens, can cause
severe or even fatal reactions in patients treated with the drug,
and thus the purified product ready to ship must be pyrogen-free.
www.microbiologyplace.com Online Tutorial 15.1: Isolation and
Screening of Antibiotic Producers