Pharma interview Q & A for Freshers

This content involves the questions asked in any interview of Pharma industry asked to Microbiology freshers along with answers..it will help Microbiology fresher job seekers to face any interview & boost their confidence.

1. "INTERVIEWQUESTIONS&ANSWERS"
Q.Introduceyourself.
1.Telltherecruiteraboutyourqualification
startingfromyourrecenttothe12th
education.
2.Familybackground
3.Aboutyourstrengths
Q.WhatisSterilization?
>Theprocesswhichdestroysalltheformsof
microbiallifeincludingFungus,Viruses&viable
cellsofmicro-organismsalongwiththeir
sporesbyusingChemicalaswellasPhysical
methodsiscalledsterilization.
Therearemajor2methodsofsterilizationas,
1]Physicalmethod-
a)Heating-

2. i)Dryheatsterilization-160°C-180°Cfor1.5hrs-
Forglasswares&Heatstablecompounds.
EX.Hotairoven
*Flaming-AlsocalledInserinationmethodfor
thesterilizationofNichromewireloop.
ii)Moistheatsterilization-121°C-134°Cunder15
lbspressurefor20min.Asthepressure
increasestempratureincreases.Usedfor
SterilizationofGrowthmedia(liquid&solid)&
moistresistantmaterials.
EX.AUTOCLAVE(Steamunderpressure)
ii)Paseurization
-DescribePaseurizationanditstypesifasked.

3. b)Radiation-killingofmicrobesbyusing
U.V.rays,Gammarays
usedtodestroybacterialDNA.
Usedforheatsensitiveproducts&Fordry
pharmaceuticalproducts.

4. c)Filtration-CompleteRemovalofMicrobesis
carriedout.
InSterilizationbyFiltration0.22micron
diametercellulosefilterisused.
LAMINARAIRFLOW-
Principle:-Continiousparallelflowofsterileair
ispassedtotheworkingareathroughthefilters

5. .
*DescribeworkingofLAF:-Inalaminarflow
hoodtheairispassedthroughaHEPA(High
EfficiencyParticulatesAir)filterwhichremoves
allairbornecontaminationtomaintainsterile
conditions....Nowthesterileairflowsintothe
working(flasking)areawhereyoucandoall
yourflaskingworkwithoutriskof
contamination.
☆HEPAFILTERS(Highefficiencyparticulateair)
-Removes99.97%ofcontaminantparticles
aboutof0.3umdiametersize.
☆ULPAFILTERS(Ultra-lowparticulateair)
-MoreefficientthanHEPAfilterremoves
99.999%ofcontaminantsof0.12umdiameter
size.
2]Chemicalmethod-Itincludes,
*Gaseousmethod-

6. Formaldehyde,Ethyleneoxide,Methanoletc.
Q.HowwillyoudiffrenciatetheBacteria?
-DescribePrincipleofGramstaining&its
procedure.
Q.Bacterialsporestaining.
-PrincipleofSporeStaining:
Adifferentialstainingtechnique(the
Schaeffer-Fultonmethod)isusedto
distinguishbetweenthevegetativecells
andtheendospores.Aprimarystain
(malachitegreen)isusedtostainthe
endospores.
Q.Fungalsporestaining.
-ExplainTheLactophenolCottonBlue

7. staining.
Principle
LPCBisastainusedformakingsemi-
permanentmicroscopicpreparationof
fungi.
TheLPCBstainhasfollowingthree
components:
Phenol:Killsanyliveorganism.
Lacticacid:Preservesfungalstructures.
Cottonblue:Stainsthechitinandcellulose
ofthefungalcellwallintenselyblue.
Q.GivesomeexamplesofGram+ve&Gram
-veBacteria.
-
GramPositive GramNegative

8. -B.subtilis -E.coli
-B.megaterium -Acetobacter
-B.thuringenensis -Campylobacter
-Clostridiumbotulinm-Nitrobacter
-Actinomyces -Pseudomonas
-Cornybacterium -Salmonella
-Lactobacillus -Vibrio
-Mycobacteriumtb -Rickttesia
Staphylococcus -Yersinia
Streptococcus -Klebsiella
Streptomyces -Shigella
Q.GivesomeexamplesofFungus.
>A.niger,A.flavus,Candidaaureus,Candida
albicans,Trichodermaviridae,Penicilium
crysogenum,Peniciliumnotatum,Fusarium

9. Q.WhatisDisinfection?
>Disinfectionistheprocessofremovingor
killingthealltheformofmicrobiallife
exceptbacterialsporesiscalled
disinfection.
Thisprocessisgenerallyappliedforthe
disinfectionofsurfacesofpharmaceutical
instruments,Surfacesofworkingareaetc.
InPharmaceuticalsmostly70%Isopropyl
alcohol(70%IPA)isusedasthedisinfectant.
Q.Why70%Isopropylalcoholisusedas
disinfectantinpharmaceutical
industries,whynot100%?
Iso-propylalcohol(IPA)iswidelyusedasa
disinfectantinpharmaceuticalcompanies.IPA
isveryeffectiveongrampositiveaswellas

10. gramnegativebacteria.Mostofthehand
disinfectantsavailableinthemarketcontains
IPAasanactivecomponentjustbecauseofits
effectiveness.IPAisveryeffectiveandkill
microbialcellwithinafewseconds.Butone
limitationofIPAisthatitisnoteffective
againstbacterialandfungalspores.
Thereasonisbehindthemodeofactionof70%
IPAisthat>
TheBacterialcellshave
proteinsintheircellwallandwhenthisprotein
comesincontactwiththe70%IPAduring
disinfectantapplication,coagulationofproteins
takesplacesinwhichdenaturationofproteins
occurredandafterthatIPApenetrateinthe
interiorofthecellwhichcauselysisordeathof
thecell.Proteincoagulationalsohappensin
caseof100%IPAbutwithveryfastrateand
becauseofthisveryfastproteincoagulation
processdenaturedproteinformsprotective

11. layeroutsideofthecell.Whenthishappens,
100%cannotpenetrateinsidethecellandnot
abletokillthemicrobe.Microorganisms
becomedormantinthatconditions.Incaseof
70%IPAproteincoagulationtakesplacewitha
slowrateandduetothis70%IPAgetenough
timetopenetrateinthecellandkillthe
microorganism.Anotherfactoriscontacttime,
70%IPAtakeslongertimetoevaporatefrom
anysurfacehencegetenoughcontacttimeand
inthismeantimeitshowitsefficacybutin
caseof100%IPA,evaporationwillbeveryfast,
contacttimewillbelessanditwillnotbeso
effectiveagainstmicrobes.That'swhy70%IPA
solutionisusedasdisinfectantin
pharmaceuticalsindustries.
Q.Whatareantiseptics?
>Antisepticsarethechemicalsubstances

12. whichareusedindestroyingdiseasecausing
microorganisms(alsocalledpathogens)
externallyonwoundsorappliedonskinsurface
totreatinfection.
Ex.Sanitizer
Mostchemicalagentscanbeusedasbothan
antisepticandadisinfectant.Thepurposefor
whichitisusedisdeterminedbyits
concentration.ForexampleHydrogenperoxide
6%solutionisusedforcleansingwounds,while
strongersolutions(>30%)areusedinindustry
asableachandoxidisingagent.
Iodineisusuallyusedinanalcoholsolution
(calledtinctureofiodine)orasLugol'siodine
solutionasapre-andpostoperativeantiseptic.
Q.Howwateranalysisiscarriedout?
-DescribeaboutMPNwhichisonlycarriedof
forthedetectionofColiformsintheWater.
-AlsoMLT(Microbiallimittest)iscarriedoutfor

13. wateranalysis,alsotermedasTAMC(Total
AerobicMicrobialcount)orTVAC(TotalViable
AerobicCount)asperUSP.
Q.WhatisC.F.U?
>Acolony-formingunit(CFU)isaunitthatis
usedtoestimatethenumberofviablebacteria
orfungalcellsinasample.Colonyforming
unitsareusedasameasureofthenumberof
micro-organismspresentinoronsurfaceofa
sample.
Todeterminethenumberofcolonyforming
units,asampleispreparedandspreador
poureduniformlyonasurfaceofanagarplate
andthenincubatedatsomesuitable
temperatureforanumberofdays.Thecolonies
thatformsarecounted.

14. (watchonyoutube,videoofCFUbyShomu's
biology)
Q.HowwillyoucalculateCFU?
Q.WhatisBioburdentesting?
>Bioburdentestingisperformedtodetermine
thetotalnumberofaerobicviable
microorganismsinoronamedicaldevice,
containerorcomponentaftercompletionofall
in-processstepspriortosterilization.
Q.WhatareSelective,Differential,Enriched,
NutrientandMinimalmedia?
Inmicrobiology,weusedifferenttypeofmedia

15. onroutinebasis.Differentmediahavedifferent
propertiesandusedfordifferenttypeof
microorganisms.Differenttypesofmediaare
mentionedbelow.
SelectiveMedia:
Selectivemediaarethosemediawhichare
usedtosupportgrowthofonegroupof
microorganismsbutinhibitthegrowthofother
groupofmicroorganisms.Forexampleincase
ofMannitolsaltagarmedia.Itcontainsvery
highamountofsalt(7.5%)whichinhibitthe
growthofgramnegativebacteriaanditis
selectiveforgrampositivebacterialike
staphylococcus.MacConkeyagarmediaisalso
selectiveforgramnegativebacteriaandother
bacteriawhichfoundintheintestinaltrack.
MacConkeyagarcontainsbilesaltsandcrystal
violetwhichinhibitthegrowthofgrampositive
bacteria.

16. DifferentialMedia:
Differentialmediaarethosemediawhichare
usedtodistinguishcloselyrelated
microorganismsbasedontheirmorphologyon
differentagarmedia.Forexampleincaseof
Mannitolsaltagar,itcontainsmannitoland
phenolredaspHindicatorwhichsupportthe
growthofmannitolfermentingstaphylococcus.
Acidproducedduetomannitolfermentationis
detectedandduetopresenceofphenolred
indicatordyestaphylococcusshowsyellow
colouredcoloniesonmannitolsaltagarmedia.
MacConkeyagarisalsodifferentialmedia
whichcontainslactoseanditsupportthe
growthoflactosefermentingbacterialikeE.coli.
MacConkeyAgarMedia
MannitolSaltAgarMedia
So,mediacouldbebothselectiveaswellas

17. differential.
Enrichedmedia:
Thesemediasupportthegrowthofwidevariety
ofmicroorganismsanddoesn'tinhibitthe
growthofmicroorganisms.Thesemedia
containshighamountofnutrientsandmainly
usedtoharvestthealltypesofmicroorganism
whicharepresentinthesample.Forexample
Soyabeancaseindigestmediumisusedfor
enrichmentofsamples.
Nutrientmedia:
Thesemediaarealsocalledgeneralpurpose
media.Thesemediaarenonselectiveandthey
containgeneralnutrientswhichrequiredforthe
growthofwiderangeofmicroorganisms.
SoyabeancaseindigestagarandNutrientagar
aretheexampleofthistypeofmedia.
Minimalmedia:
Minimalmediaarethosemediawhichcontains

18. minimalnutrientsforthegrowthof
microorganisms.Thesemediaaremainlyused
forfastidiousmicroorganisms.R2Amediaisan
exampleofminimalmediainwhichnutrients
arepresentinverysmallamount.
Mediawithcomposition:
1.MacConkeyAgar
MacConkeyAgarisrecommendedforselective
isolationofEscherichiacolifrom
pharmaceuticalproductsandisinaccordance
withharmonizedmethodologyofBP.Itisalso
recommendedforselectiveisolationand
differentiationoflactosefermentingand
lactosenonfermentingentericbacteria.
Composition**
Peptones(meatandcasein)
Pancreaticdigestofgelatin

19. Lactosemonohydrate
Bilesalts
Sodiumchloride
Crystalviolet
Neutralred
Agar
pHaftersterilization(at25°C)7.1±0.2
Theselectiveactionofthismediumis
attributedtocrystalvioletandbilesalts,which
areinhibitorytomostspeciesofgram-positive
bacteria.Sodiumchloridemaintainstheosmotic
balanceinthemedium.
2.NutrientAgarMedium
Nutrientagarmediumisusedasageneral
purposeculturemediumwhichmaybeusedas
enrichedmediumbyincorporatingbloodor

20. otherbiologicalfluidsinaccordancewithIndian
Pharmacopoeia.
Composition**
Peptone
MeatextractB#
Sodiumchloride
Agar
pHaftersterilization7.3±0.1
Q.WhatisBETtest?
-ItistheMicrobiologicaltestwhichcarriedout
todetectthepresenceofBacterialendotoxin
presentinthegivensample.
ThisendotoxintestisalsocalledasLALTest-
becauseinthistestthe'LimulusAmebocyte
Lysate'isusedwhichistheaqueousextractof
bloodcellsofHorseshoecrab.
ItsisalsocalledGelClotmethodbczinthisthe

21. sampleistakeninsmalltubesthenfewdrops
ofLimulusamebocyteLysateareadded&kept
forincubationat37°C.Afterincubationifthe
sampleshowsGelclot,itisthepositivetest
thatindicatespresenceofendotoxin.
Endotoxinsarenothingbutthe
lippopolysaccharidespresentinthecellwallof
Gramnegativebacteria.
LALtestistheQualitativetest&KTA(Kinetic
TurbidometricAssay)istheQuantitativetestof
Endotoxin.
Q.Whatispyrogentesting?
-Thismethodiscarriedouttodetectthe
presenceofpyrogen.(Amestest)
Q.WhatisNormality?
-ItisdefinedastheNumberofmoles
equivalentperlitresolution.

22. Q.EnvironmentalMonitoringin
Pharmaceuticalindustry.
-Itiscarriedouttoanaylsethepresenceof
Microbialloadpresentinpharmaceutical
industry.
Therearemajorfollowingmethodsof
Env.monitoringinpharmaceuticalindusrtyas-
1.Settleplatemethod-90mm
2.Contactplatemethod-55mm
3.Swabtesting
4.Airsampler(Ainstrument)
5.Personnelmonitoring
ForE.M.inpharmamostlySCDA(Soyabean
CaesinDigestAgar)isusedforbothFungus
andBacterialgrowth.

23. Q.DescribeMicroscope?
Q.Whatisdiffrencebetweensimpleand
compoundMicroscope?
-Insimplemicroscopethereissinglelens,
whereasincompoundlightmicroscopethere
are3to5objectivelenses,whichmeans
compoundmicroscopehasbettermagnifying
power.
Q.Whatisthetotalmagnificationof

24. compoundmicroscope?
-10+40+100×10(Eyepiece)=1500X
Q.WhoisthefatherofMicrobiology?
-AntoniePhilipsvanLeeuwenhoekisknownas
'TheFatherofMicrobiology'.
Q.WhoisfatherofModernMicrobiology?
-LouisPasteurregardedasthefatherof
modernmicrobiology.Heconfirmedthe
previousexperimentstodisprovespontaneous
generation.
Q.Describeacidfaststaining?
-http://www.slideshare.net/MMASSY/acid-fast-
staining-procedure-for-staining-mycobacteria?
Q.Enlistthebiochemicaltestsusedforthe
bacterialidentification?
-IMVIC,MRVP,Sugartest
Q.WhatistheroleofCondenserin

25. Microscope?
-condensergatherslightfromthemicroscope
lightsourceandconcentratesitintoaconeof
lightthatilluminatesthespecimenwithuniform
intensityovertheentireviewfield.
Q.IsMcConkeysagarselectiveordiffrencial
?
Q.HowwillyoudiffrenciateEnterobacteron
McConkeysagar?
Q.WhatarethetypesofE.coli?
-EnterotoxigenicE.coli(ETEC)
-EnteropathogenicE.coli(EPEC)
-EnteroinvasiveE.coli(EIEC)
-EnterohemorrhagicE.coli(EHEC)
-UropathogenicE.coli(UPEC)
-Verotoxin-producingE.coli.

26. Q.Namethelistofbookswhichyouhave
usedduringM.scstudy?
Q.Whatdoyouknowaboutourcompany?
Q.WhileyoustudyingM.scMicrobiology,of
whichcompanyMicroscopeyouhaveused?
Q.DescribetheprincipleofUV
spectrophotometer,Autoclave,Hotair
oven,LAFetc?
Q.Howmanypracticlesyouhavedonein
yourwholegraduation&postgraduation&
whicharethey?
Q.Whatwasyourfinalyearproject&whatdoes
itwasabout?
Q.WhyShouldwehireyou?

27. BESTOF
LUCKFOR
YOURBRIGHT
FUTURE
-AjayB.Salve