Magnetic separations in biotechnology—a review

Magnetic separation technology has a broad range of potential applications in both small and large scale biotechnology. This review considers a selection of magnetic techniques and their possible uses.     

A hierarchical mesh film with superhydrophobic and superoleophilic properties for oil and water separation

BACKGROUND: Solid surfaces possessing both superhydrophobic and superoleophilic properties have attracted great interest for fundamental research and potential application. However, fabrication of the reported surfaces is usually time‐consuming and the wetability of the surfaces could not be achieved to the desired level in rugged environments. RESULTS: A hierarchical stainless steel mesh film comprising structures with three scales of roughness was synthesized by a simple chemical bath deposition method. After being modified with a low surface energy material e.g. Teflon, these films exhibit superhydrophobic and superoleophilic properties. In this study it was demonstrated that the unique properties of the as‐prepared films match well with the requirements for the effective separation of oil and water mixtures. CONCLUSION: It was confirmed that the unique surface wetability of the surface is due to the cooperative effect of the hierarchical structures of the stainless steel mesh films and the natural low surface tension of Teflon. Furthermore, fabrication is simple and economic, and the surface exhibited robust durability even in a rugged environment. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Flowsheet simulation of aqueous two‐phase extraction systems for protein purification

BACKGROUND: Aqueous two‐phase extraction (ATPE) has many advantages as an efficient, inexpensive large‐scale liquid–liquid extraction technique for protein separation. However, the realization of ATPE as a protein separation technology at industrial scales is rather limited due to the large, multidimensional design space and the paucity of design approaches to predict phase and product behavior in an integrated fashion with overall system performance. This paper describes a framework designed to calculate suitable flowsheets for the extraction of a target protein from a complex protein feed using ATPE. The framework incorporated a routine to set up flowsheets according to target protein partitioning behavior in specific ATPE systems and a calculation of the amounts of phase‐forming components needed to extract the target protein. The thermodynamics of phase formation and partitioning were modeled using Flory‐Huggins theory and calculated using a Gibbs energy difference minimization approach. RESULTS: As a case study, suitable flowsheets to recover phosphofructokinase from a simple model feedstock using poly(ethylene glycol)‐dextran (PEG6000‐DxT500) and poly(ethylene glycol)‐salt (PEG6000‐Na₃PO₄) two‐phase systems were designed and the existence of feasible solutions was demonstrated. The flowsheets were compared in terms of product yield, product purity, phase settling rate and scaled process cost. The effect of the mass flowrates of phase‐forming components on product yield and purity was also determined. CONCLUSION: This framework is proposed as a basis for flowsheet optimization for protein purification using ATPE systems. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Membrane rejection of nonspherical particles: Modeling and experiment

The rejection coefficient of nonspherical particles from ultrafiltration and microfiltration membranes has been examined from both theoretical and experimental perspectives. Modeling efforts focused on incorporating the convective hindrance factor for a capsule shaped particle in a cylindrical pore into predictions of the rejection coefficient. First, the convective hindrance factor was approximated using previously reported results for the hydrodynamic resistances experienced by a sphere in a pore. Second, computational fluid dynamics calculations predicted the convective hindrance factor for a capsule in a cylindrical pore. Results from both approaches indicate that including hydrodynamic interactions in predictions of the rejection coefficient has a greater effect for smaller particles and particles with smaller aspect ratio (i.e., close to spherical shape). Rejections of several rod‐shaped Gram negative bacteria with aspect ratio from 2 to 5 by clean track‐etched membranes were in general agreement with theoretical predictions. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 3863–3873, 2013     

The optimization of aqueous two‐phase extraction of lysozyme from crude hen egg white using response surface methodology

BACKGROUND: Aqueous two‐phase extraction is a versatile method for separating biological particles and macromolecules. In the present wok, the feasibility of using PEG 4000/potassium citrate aqueous two‐phase system (ATPS) for recovering and purifying lysozyme was investigated. Response surface methodology was used to determine an optimized ATPS for purification of lysozyme from crude hen egg white. RESULTS: Mathematical models concerning the purification of lysozyme from chicken egg white in polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG 4000)/potassium citrate ATPS are established using response surface methodology. Screening experiments using fractional factorial designs show that the pH of the system significantly affects the recovery and purification of lysozyme. An optimized ATPS was proved to be at pH 5.5 and 30 °C and contained 18% (w/w) PEG, 16% (w/w) potassium citrate, 3.75% (w/w) potassium chloride (KCl). Under those conditions, the specific activity, purification factor and activity yield for lysozyme were 31100 U mg^?1, 21.11 and 103%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The PEG 4000/potassium citrate ATPS has the potential to be applied to establish bioprocesses for the primary recovery and partial purification of lysozyme. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry