An Introduction to Bioseparations - Chromatography Today

Bioseparation is the name given to the practice of purifying biological products on a large-scale, using fundamental aspects of engineering and scientific principles. The end goal of bioseparation is to refine molecules, cells and parts of cells into purified fractions.

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Biological products can be separated and purified depending upon the following characteristics: density, diffusivity, electrostatic charge, polarity, shape, size, solubility and volatility.

Differences Between Bioseparation and Chemical Separation

Although bioseparation is based on traditional chemical separation processes, they do differ in significant ways. This is because the materials being purified and separated in bioseparation are biological substances rather than the synthetic chemicals used in traditional techniques. As such, substances such as proteins, carbohydrates and nucleic acids are not suitable for the rigours of traditional techniques like packed-bed adsorption and evaporation.

Often, the desired final product is only found in very minute quantities in the starting substance from which they are refined. Because of this, vast quantities of dilute product streams must undergo processing in order to obtain a small amount of pure product. Meanwhile, there are often unwanted impurities in the starting substance which have similar genetic makeup to the desired product, thus making separation very difficult.

Because biological products are more apt to degradation than chemical ones, this rules out the use of many common organic solvents in bioseparation, since they have a tendency to act as a catalyst for degradation. Furthermore, many biological substances are unstable when heated and as such have to be handled in sub-ambient temperatures.

Bioseparation Techniques

There are many different techniques by which bioseparation can be achieved – however, there are none which currently work effectively on their own. This is because bioseparation requires a combination of high resolution (also known as selectivity) with high throughput (also called productivity). As you will notice in the table of techniques below, not a single one combines those two traits.

As a result, bioseparation must incorporate two or more techniques to achieve dual proficiency in the two categories.

High Throughput & Low Resolution                      High Resolution & Low Throughput

Adsorption                                                                   Affinity Separation

Centrifugation                                                             Chromatography

Filtration / Microfiltration / Ultrafiltration                      Counter-current extraction

Precipitation                                                                Electrophoresis

Solvent extraction                                                       Ultracentrifugation

Supercritical fluid extraction

One of the more commonly-used methods of achieving bioseparation is through the deployment of a RIPP scheme (Recovery, Isolation, Purification, Polishing). This technique will first utilise one of the low resolution methods from the left column above to achieved recovery and isolation of the desired product. Then, one of the high resolution methods from the right column will purify the product and “polish” it. Polishing can refer to sterilisation, removal of contaminants and any other final processing steps before it is packaged into a marketable form.

Current Advances in Bioseparation

Because of the need for two or more different techniques to be used in achieving bioseparation, it is a highly inefficient process which requires much capital, a great deal of time investment and the use of complicated and expensive lab equipment. Indeed, even after such investment, the amount of pure product that is gleaned can be negligible.

2. Characteristics of Ion Exchange Resin

● What Is the Difference Between Cation and Anion Exchange?

The main difference between cation and anion exchange is the charge of the ions they exchange:  Cation exchange: Exchanges positively charged ions, or cations.  Anion exchange: Exchanges negatively charged ions, or anions.  Here are some other differences between cation and anion exchange:  ● Resins Cation and anion exchange resins are small, porous plastic beads with a specific charge. They are chemically similar and are both polymers.  ● Applications Cation and anion exchange resins are used in industrial water purification and separation. For example, a strong anion exchange column can remove negatively charged DNA or endotoxins.  ● Soil Cation exchange capacity (CEC) is the amount of negative charge available to attract cations in soil. Anion exchange capacity (AEC) is the amount of positive charge available to attract anions in soil. In most soils, CEC is greater than AEC.  ● Amphoteric exchangers Some exchangers can exchange both cations and anions simultaneously.

● What are the Factors Affecting Ion Exchange?

Physical factors:

Resin type: Different resins have specific functional groups and pore structures that determine their selectivity for certain ions.

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Particle size: Smaller particles offer higher surface area for ion exchange but increase pressure drop within the system. Larger particles have lower pressure drops but slower exchange kinetics.

Density: Density affects resin bed expansion and backwashing behavior.

Chemical factors:

pH: The solution's pH significantly impacts the ionization state of target ions and the resin's functional groups.

Ionic strength: Higher ionic strength in the solution can compete with target ions for exchange sites, reducing resin capacity.

Presence of complexing agents: Complexing agents can bind target ions, making them unavailable for exchange with the resin, thus reducing efficiency.

Temperature: Elevated temperatures generally increase exchange kinetics but can also degrade the resin and accelerate leaching of functional groups.

Operational factors:

Flow rate: Higher flow rates reduce contact time between ions and the resin, potentially affecting exchange efficiency. However, excessively low flow rates can lead to channeling and inefficient bed utilization.

Loading rate: Applying excessive feed loads can overwhelm the resin's capacity and lead to breakthrough, where target ions start appearing in the effluent.

Regeneration process: The type and concentration of regenerant used, as well as the regeneration flow rate and duration, can impact the efficiency of removing captured ions and restoring the resin's capacity.

● What is Ion Exchange Capacity?

Ion exchange capacity (IEC) is a measure of a material's ability to displace ions that are already attached to it. It can refer to the capacity of a membrane or soil to exchange ions:  ● Membranes IEC is a measure of the concentration of ion-conducting functional groups in a membrane. It's expressed as milliequivalents per gram of the membrane. IEC is a key property of anion-exchange membranes (AEMs) and is related to other AEM properties, such as anion conductivity and water uptake.  ● Soil IEC is a fundamental property of soil that affects soil fertility and the exchange of ions in the soil. Soil particles have negative charges that attract positively charged ions, such as potassium, magnesium, and ammonium. The amount of nutrients that can be attached to soil particles increases with the CEC.  IEC is also a measure of the number of positive or negative charges that an exchange resin can bind to. It's reported in singly charged ion equivalents per gram of resin.

● What Is Ion Exchange Column?

An ion exchange column is a chromatography column that separates compounds based on their charge. They are used in a variety of applications, including:  ● Biochemistry: Ion exchange columns are used to purify and isolate proteins and nucleic acids.  ● Water Softening: Ion exchange columns can be used to soften water by removing calcium and magnesium ions.  ● Biopharmaceutical Production: Ion exchange columns are used in the production of biopharmaceuticals.  ● Clinical Diagnostics: Ion exchange columns are used in clinical diagnostics.  ● Quality Control: Ion exchange columns are used in quality control.  There are two types of ion exchange columns: cation exchange and anion exchange: ● Cation Exchange Columns These columns have a negative charge and capture positively charged molecules. ● Anion Exchange Columns These columns have a positive charge and capture negatively charged biomolecules.

● What is Water Softener Resin?

Water softener resin is a material used in water softeners to remove minerals that make water hard. It's made of small beads that are packed in a bed inside the water softener tank. The resin beads are coated with sodium ions, which have a positive charge. When hard water flows through the resin bed, the calcium and magnesium ions in the water are attracted to the resin beads and replace the sodium ions. The softened water then exits the water softener.  Here are some things to know about water softener resin:  ● Composition Water softener resin is made from synthetic materials, such as polystyrene and divinylbenzene (DVB). The beads are porous and skeletal, and range in size from 0.3–1.2 mm.  ● Lifespan Depending on the type of resin and how well the water softener is designed, resin beads can last between 5–20 years. However, they may need to be replaced more frequently if the water is very hard or if the city uses strong chemicals to treat water contamination. ● Hydraulic Shock When water is turned off quickly, it can create a shock wave that travels back through the plumbing system and cracks the resin beads. This is known as hydraulic shock, or "water hammer".  ● Fine Mesh Resin Fine mesh resin is smaller than regular resin, so it can fit more beads into a smaller space.

● What is Ion Exchange Chromatography?

Ion chromatography (or ion-exchange chromatography) is a form of chromatography that separates ions and ionizable polar molecules based on their affinity to the ion exchanger. It works on almost any kind of charged molecule—including small inorganic anions, large proteins, small nucleotides, and amino acids. However, ion chromatography must be done in conditions that are one pH unit away from the isoelectric point of a protein. One of the primary advantages for the use of ion chromatography is that only one interaction is involved the separation, as opposed to other separation techniques; therefore, ion chromatography may have higher matrix tolerance. Another advantage of ion exchange is the predictability of elution patterns (based on the presence of the ionizable group).

● Ion Exchange Resin Market Size And Forecast

The global ion exchange resins market size was valued at USD 1.8 billion in and is projected to reach USD 2.2 billion by , growing at 4.2% cagr from to . Urbanization in APAC and increasing demand for nuclear energy are some of the key factors driving the market.

● What Is Ion Exchange in Chemistry

Ion exchange in chemistry is a process where ions are exchanged between a solution and an ion exchange material. This material can be a synthetic resin or a naturally occurring substance like zeolite. The process is reversible, allowing the ion exchange material to be regenerated for repeated use. Here's a simplified explanation of how it works: 1. Ion Exchange Material: This is usually a solid substance that contains ions which can be exchanged. It can be a resin with charged sites that attract ions of the opposite charge. 2. Exchange Process: When a solution containing different ions comes into contact with the ion exchange material, ions from the solution are swapped with ions from the material. 3. Cation and Anion Exchangers: There are two main types of ion exchangers—cation exchangers, which exchange positively charged ions (cations), and anion exchangers, which exchange negatively charged ions (anions). 4. Applications: Ion exchange is widely used for water softening, purification of chemicals, and separation of substances. It’s also used in scientific laboratories for purifying and analyzing mixtures, and in medical applications like artificial kidneys. The process is governed by the selectivity of the ion exchange material, which is influenced by the size, charge, and structure of the ions involved. For example, common ions that can bind to ion exchangers include H+  (proton) and  OH−  (hydroxide), as well as various monovalent and divalent ions.

3. What Will Ion Exchange Remove?

● What are Applications of Ion Exchange Chromatography in Food Industry?

The main areas of the food industry where the ion-exchange process is currently used are: sugar, dairy products and water purification. It is also used to recover, sepa- rate and purify biochemicals and enzymes, and is currently being introduced to the drinks industry for juices and wines.

There are many ways to finish the processing of food raw materials. The ion exchange and adsorption resins are often used in the later finishing process due to their good selectivity and high processing precision, since it provides an effective and safe path for improving the quality of food ingredients, which could remove the deeper color of the food, remove the odor, remove the pesticide residue, and even make it more comfortable taste.

More than a decade ago, China's juice industry faced severe challenges because pesticides were used in apple cultivation. Although the fruits were strictly cleaned, the final juices were still exceeding the standard for pesticides. The Chinese juice manufacturing industry was facing the risk of shutting down. At that time, Sunresin started the research on juice purification technology, and first introduced the juice resin for removing pesticide residues, and introduced the whole process very quickly. Nowadays Chinese juice makers are all benefiting from Sunresin's technology.

Sunresin was also become into the first provider applying the resin adsorbent techniques in food processing. Up to now in the Chinese market, the adsorbent techniques applied in juice industries all originate from Sunresin initiation. After nearly 20 years of continuously technical innovation and industrialization in this field, new resins and solutions specialized for food processing have stood firmly in the market, which are separately specified for nutrition products, fruit juices such as apple, orange, pear, pineapple, lemon, grape and pomegranate, as well as in sugar industries. More than M3 of the these products have been supplied to beverage industry of both domestic and overseas with over tens of production lines scoping from 5t/hr to 100t/hr.

● What is the Method of Purification of Acetic Acid?

Sunresin provides a well-established ion exchange resin process for acetic acid purification, which can remove bromine or chloride ions in acetic acid to less than 5ppm, or undetectable levels. The fixed bed mode is recommended for the ion exchange process for acetic acid purification, which runs continuously and removes impurities through the front and back resin columns to improve the removal accuracy and ensure the maximum utilization of the resins.

Conclusion

In conclusion, ion exchange resin is a versatile and effective material that can perform various functions in different fields. We have answered 30 frequently asked questions about ion exchange resin, hoping to provide you with some useful information and guidance.

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