New 18-1 process-scale counter-current chromatography centrifuge

A new Dynamic Extractions Maxi-counter-current chromatography (CCC) centrifuge with a column volume of 18-1 has been installed in the Advanced Bioprocessing Centre at Brunei. This instrument has four times the capacity of the 4.6-1 Maxi-CCC centrifuge which has been operating robustly for 3 years. Tests using the model sample system benzyl alcohol and p-cresol with a heptane:ethyl acetate: methanol:water (HEMWat) phase system (1.4:0.1:0.5:1.0) show that resolution is almost double with this new high capacity device. Commissioning tests with a mixture of caffeine, K-D = 0.21: ferulic acid. K-D = 0.82; umbelliferone, K-D = 1.2 and vanillin, K-D = 1.49 using a HEMWat phase system of 1:1.5:1:1.5 on the 9-1 Column show that resolutions equivalent to analytical instruments will be possible using the full 18-1 capacity. They also show that predictable scale-up from simple test tube tests is feasible with knowledge of the stationary phase retention for the planned process scale run. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.