100 YEARS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE CHEMICA L-INDUSTRY - BY THE EXAMPLEOF E-MERCK, DARMSTADT

The proposeful use of microorganisms as producers of purl substances b egan about one hundred years ago with the production of lactic acid, f ollowed by citric acid and by sorbose for the synthesis of vitamin C. The growth of pure cultures of microorganisms in a technical scale bec ame available nearly fifty years ago by the development of the ferment er. By this it became possible to produce penicillin and other antibio tics, to transform substances in steroidsyntheses and to get many enzy mes, alkaloids, and other substances from microorganisms. The developm ent of some of the older processes as basis of actual use of biotechno logy at E. Merck is described, followed by some facts of the early sit uation in Germany and some remarks on the inclusions of biotechnology within the chemical industry.