It is desired to remove a toxic substance from plasma by passing the plasma through the inside of the hollow fibers of a bioreactor. The flow rate of the plasma is 2000 cm 3 min −1 , and the...

It is desired to remove a toxic substance from plasma by passing the plasma through the inside of the hollow fibers of a bioreactor. The flow rate of the plasma is 2000 cm³
min⁻¹, and the bioreactor contains 1000 hollow fibers each with a diameter of 800 μm and a length of 50 cm. The walls of these hollow fibers contain an enzyme coated on their surface that rapidly converts the toxic material into a harmless substance. The toxic substance has a diffusivity in plasma of 6 × 10⁻⁶
cm²
s⁻¹, and the viscosity of the plasma is 1.2 cP and its density is 1.02 g cm⁻³. Estimate the % removal of the toxic substance from the plasma by this device.