Pre-purification of genipin from genipap using aqueous-two-phase systems composed of protic ionic liquids + polymers + water at 298 K and atmospheric pressure

• Published in: Separation and purification technology 2021-02, Vol.256, p.117843, Article 117843
• Main Authors: Cristina Alves Camêlo, Lídia, de Souza Dias Santos, Gabriela, Lucena de Souza, Ranyere, Faria Soares, Cleide Mara, Brandão Pereira, Jorge Fernando, Silva Lima, Álvaro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aqueous two-phase systems; Genipin; Phase equilibrium; Protic ionic liquids; Purification
• ISSN: 1383-5866; 1873-3794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2020.117843

[Display omitted] •Aqueous two-phase systems based on polymers and protic ionic liquids were studied.•By increasing the molecular weight of polymers, the largest the biphasic region is.•The genipin was partitioned preferentially to polymer-rich phase (top phase)•The partition of total phenol compounds (contaminants) was also investigated.•Hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance of constituents is the drive force of purification of genipin. The downstream processing still represents the cost bottleneck of obtaining biomolecules. Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) composed of alternative constituents have been presented as a cost-effective platform for the concentration, partition and/or purification of biomolecules. In this sense, this work provides a series of new ATPS composed of polymers (PPG-400, PEG-300, -400, -550 and -750 g gmol−1) + protic ionic liquids (PILs) [based on ethylene glycols (mono-, di- - and tri-ethylene glycol) as cation and inorganic anions (H2PO4−, HSO4−, Cl−, NO3−)] + water at 298 K and atmospheric pressure. An initial screening evaluated the effect of the type of polymer, molecular weight of the polymer, type of cation and anion of the ionic liquid on phases’ separation, while the second series of experiments studied their application as effective platforms for the pre-purification of genipin from genipap. The results showed that the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance between phase forming components is the driving force for the formation of ATPS, as well as for the pre-purification of genipin from genipap. The system constituted of PEG-750 (40 wt%) + [MEA][H2PO4] (30 wt%) + H2O (30 wt%) exhibited the highest genipin pre-purification performance, i.e., purification factor of 6.03, as confirmed chromatographically.