Investigation and characterization of liquid two-phase systems for the separation of crystal mixtures by interfacial partitioning.

The interfacial partitioning behavior of ampicillin and phenylglycine crystals in different two-phase systems has been investigated. The two-phase systems employed are water/dodecane, water/1-butanol, and water/pentane/methanol. By means of partition experiments and microscopic imaging, it has been shown that the mechanism of separation strongly depends on the choice of the two-phase system.

Selective recovery of polyhydroxyalkanoate inclusion bodies from fermentation broth by dissolved-air flotation.

Selective dissolved-air flotation for the separation of medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) inclusion bodies (IBs) from Pseudomonas putida cell debris is investigated. Measurements show that both P. putida cell debris and PHA IBs have an iso-electric point of approximately pH 3.

Relation between cell disruption conditions, cell debris particle size, and inclusion body release.

The efficiency of physical separation of inclusion bodies from cell debris is related to cell debris size and inclusion body release and both factors should be taken into account when designing a process. In this work, cell disruption by enzymatic treatment with lysozyme and cellulase, by homogenization, and by homogenization with ammonia pretreatment is discussed. These disruption methods are compared on the basis of inclusion body release, operating costs, and cell debris particle size.

Scale-up of stirring as foam disruption (SAFD) to industrial scale.

Foam disruption by agitation-the stirring as foam disruption (SAFD) technique-was scaled up to pilot and production scale using Rushton turbines and an up-pumping hydrofoil impeller, the Scaba 3SHP1. The dominating mechanism behind SAFD-foam entrainment-was also demonstrated at production scale. The mechanistic model for SAFD defines a fictitious liquid velocity generated by the (upper) impeller near the dispersion surface, which is correlated with complete foam disruption.