Reactive extraction of penicillin G in a pilot plant Karr-column

Summary Penicillin G was extracted from a model medium with a secondary amine (Amberlite LA-2) as carrier in n-butylacetate as solvent in a 7.6 m high pilot plant Karr-column at different stroke frequencies, throughput of the phases, concentrations of Penicillin G and carrier and ratios of the throughputs of the aqueous and organic phases. Up to penicillin concentrations of 30 gl^–1, throughputs of the aqueous phase of 100 lh^–1 and throughput ratios of the aqueous phase-to-organic phase of 3, very high degrees of extraction (99%) can be achieved with a penicillin loss below 1%.Symbols a specific interfacial area with regard to the volume of the continuous phase - C partition coefficient - cA, cA, i concentration of carrier (sec. amine) in the bulk at the interface - cAHP, cAHP, i concentration of complex in the bulk at the interface - cH proton concentration - cHP_a, cHP_a,i concentration of free acid in the bulk of the aqueous phase at the interface - cHP_o, cHP_{o, i} concentration of free acid in the bulk of the organic phase, at the interface - cP, cP, i concentration of acid anions in the bulk of the aqueous phase, at the interface - d₃₂ Sauter droplet diameter - E degree of extraction - f stroke frequency - KG reaction equilibrium constant - K_phys distribution coefficient - N number of stages in cascade - t mean residence time of the aqueous phase - _aq throughput of the aqueous phase - _o throughput of the organic phase - Z dimensionless longitudinal coordinate of the column with regard to its active length (4 m) - holdup of the organic phase     

Reactive extraction of penicillin G in a pilot plant Karr-column III. Modelling and simulation of the extraction process

Summary The longitudinal concentration profiles of penicillin the continuous aqueous phase of a pilot plant Karr-column of 7.6 m height was calculated by a mathematic model consisting of reaction rate and cascase models. Satisfactory agreements between calculated and measured profiles were found. The identified mass transfer coefficients are identical in the bench-scale and pilot plant columns, in the model medium and fermentation medium as well as at different stroke frequencies. The specific interfacial area are strongly influenced by these parameters. The model can be used for calculation of penicillin extraction columns of different sizes. For the layout of the columns, hydrodynamic data are needed, which, however, cannot yet be calculated on a theoretical basis.     

Reactive extraction of penicillin G from mycel-containing broth in a countercurrent extraction decanter

Penicillin was recovered from mycel-containing fermentation broth by direct reactive extraction into a counter-current extraction decanter, Type CA 226-290 of the Westfalia Separator Co., at room temperature via steady state operation. Penicillin concentrations in the feed varied from 3 to 41 g L(-1), Amberlite LA-2 carrier concentrations from 7 to 20 g L(-1)and/or DITDA carrier concentrations from 7.2 to 84 g L(-1), the LA-2-to-penicillin mole concentration ratio from 4 to 6.4, and/or the DITDA-to-penicillin mole concentration ratio was maintained at 2. The throughputs of the fermentation broth (520 to 880 L h(-1)) of the solvent phase (200 to 860 L h(-1)) and the over all throughput (800 to 1750 L h(-1)) were high. Extraction degrees of 72 to 96% were achieved between pH 4.6 and 5.1. Without carriers in the same pH range, extraction degrees of only 17 to 19% were attained. By reducing the pH to 2.3 and in the absence of carriers, the degree of extraction was increased to 61%. However, during the extraction, 6.5% of the penicillin decomposed. At these high throughputs, the steady state was attained within 1 to 4 min. Through the mechanical stress, the length of the hyphae was reduced and the protein content of the broth was increased by 50 to 100%. However, this protein content had no appreciable influence on the phase separation.     

Reactive extraction of penicillin G in hollow-fiber and hollow-fiber fabric modules

Penicillin G (Pen G) can be rapidly extracted in hollow-fiber liquid-liquid contactors using N-lauryl-N-trialkylmethylamine (Amberlite LA-2) as the extractant. n-Butylacetate is much better than decanol as a diluent for such an extraction, although decanol can give a partition coefficient four times larger. The overall mass transfer coefficient found is a function of aqueous flow on the lumen side of the fiber, and is less dependent on shell-side flow. In backextraction, the overall mass transfer coefficient determined is only one tenth that of the forward extraction, primarily because the hydrophobic hollow fibers used have a high mass transfer resistance under these conditions. The mass transfer experiments show that hollow-fiber extraction of Pen G is competitive with centrifugal extraction. The prospects for extraction of other fermentation products with hollow fibers can be estimated based on the present study.     

Reactive extraction and reextraction of penicillin with different carriers

The extraction and reextraction of Penicillin G was investigated with different reactive components. The degrees E_R of reextraction and E_G extraction + reextraction were evaluated as a function of the pH value, carrier and penicillin concentrations. Besides Amberlite LA-2, nine different reactive components were tested and diisotridecylamine was found to be the most suitable one. The quaternary ammonium salt Adogen 464 is suitable also for the extraction of penicillin. However, the reextraction is incomplete. Therefore, sodium salt of p-toluene sulfonic acid was used as counter-ion, and it was regenerated by NaOH or Cl⁻ anion. The advantages of the use of quaternary ammonium salts are discussed.     

Recovery of penicillin G from fermentation broth with reactive extraction in a mixer-settler

Summary In a laboratory countercurrent mixer-settler, penicillin was recovered from its fermentation broth by extraction with Amberlite LA-2 in n-butylacetate at pH 5.0 and reextracted from the ion-pair complex containing a solvent phase with a buffer at 7.2–7.5 with an overall degree of extraction above 90 %.Symbols A amine - AHP complex - c concentration - C partition coefficent - E degree of extraction - HP penicillin acid - K_G equilibrium constant - P, P^– penicillin acid anion Indices aq aqueous phase - org organic phase - A amine - AHP complex - G overall - HP free acid - P penicillin     

Measurement of penicillin acylase and cephalosporin acylase in fermentation broths

Summary The p-dimethylamino-benzaldehyde method of Bomstein and Evans, the ninhydrin method of Marrelli and the new p-dimethyl-amino-benzaldehyde method of Kornfeld were evaluated for analysis of penicillin-V acylase and cephalosporin-V acylase in fermentation broths. The ninhydrin method was the method of choice for cephalosporin-V acylase, whereas the Kornfeld method had certain advantages with respect to penicillin-V acylase.     

Physical and reactive extraction equilibria of penicillin G in a hydrogen-bond acceptor solvent system

Physical and reactive extraction equilibria of penicillin G were investigated experimentally and theoretically in the existence of n-butyl acetate as a hydrogen-bond acceptor solvent. Physical extraction equilibrium experiments were carried out varying the pH of aqueous phase and overall penicillin concentration. We compared the experimental data with the calculated results from four physical extraction equilibrium models suggested here and obtained the most reasonable model. Also, penicillin G was reactively extracted using Amberlite LA-2 in n-butyl acetate. The experimental variables were pH of the aqueous phase, overall amine concentration, and overall penicillin concentration. A combined equilibrium model including our physical extraction equilibrium expression and the reactive extraction equilibrium expression suggested by Reschke and Schügerl was used so as to analyze the current reactive extraction equilibrium system. The calculated results from the reactive extraction equilibrium model were in good agreement with the experimental data.     

A geometric interpretation of the feasibility of reactive extraction/re-extraction of penicillin G.

The reactive extraction (re-extraction) of penicillin G from reaction mixtures is based on complexation with a carrier and subsequent dissociation of the complex. An established mathematical model for this has been analysed to develop a feasibility domain within which the process may be designed and optimised. Geometric and physical interpretations of this domain are provided.     

Stabilizing effect of penicillin G sulfoxide, a competitive inhibitor of penicillin G acylase: its practical applications.

We have found that penicillin G sulfoxide (pen G SO) behaves as a general stabilizing agent of two bacterial penicillin G acylases (PGAs) from E. coli and from K. citrophila), and this role is related to a strong inhibitory effect on the enzymes. The stabilizing effect has been observed during two different inactivation processes: (i) thermal inactivation of soluble enzymes at alkaline pH, and (ii) inactivation of immobilized enzymes as a consequence of covalent multiinteraction with highly activated agarose aldehyde gels. At the same time, pen G SO behaves as a strong competitive inhibitor of these two enzymes. The inhibition constant is more than 10-fold lower than the one corresponding to another smaller competitive inhibitor, phenylacetic acid (PAA), the structure of which is exactly the acyl donor moiety corresponding to pen G SO. In turn, PAA hardly exerts any stabilizing effect on PGAs. The stabilizing effect of pen G SO allowed the preparation of derivatives of these PGAs preserving full catalytic activity in spite of being 1,400- and 650-fold more stable than the corresponding soluble or one-point attached immobilized enzymes.     

Ultrafiltration of fermented broths and solvent extraction of antibiotics

Experiments of ultrafiltration with diafiltration were performed on fermented broths of benzylpenicillin and clavulanic acid produced at pilot scale at CIPAN, SA to achieve solid/liquid separation, antibiotic recovery and soluble protein retention. This study was done using a laboratorial/pilot scale ultrafiltration facility from Paterson Candy International Ltd. whose modules have a tubular configuration. PVDF membranes with a molecular weight cut-off of 100 000 (FP10) and 200 000 (FP200) were assessed. Comparison between solvent extraction of benzylpenicillin and clavulanic acid from filtered broth and ultrafiltered broth was also done. It was concluded that ultrafiltration with diafiltration of fermented broths of antibiotics using the FP10 membrane is a valid alternative to the use of rotary vacuum filters, flocculants and filter aid, deserving a further study to establish the best operating conditions. An economic appraisal also seems to be of paramount importance.To CIPAN-SA in which this work was done and where the fermented broths were produced. To JNICT/FSE for the funding of the project in the scope of which this work was done.     

Simultaneous extraction and concentration of penicillin G by hollow fiber renewal liquid membrane

In this article, hollow fiber renewal liquid membrane (HFRLM) technique was used for recovery of penicillin G from aqueous solution. The organic solution of 7 vol % di‐n‐octylamine (DOA) + 30 vol % iso‐octanol + kerosene was used as liquid membrane phase, and Na₂CO₃ aqueous solution was used as stripping phase. Experiments were performed as a function of carrier concentration in the organic phase, organic/aqueous volume ratio, pH, and initial penicillin G concentration in the feed phase, pH in the stripping phase, flow rates, etc. The results showed that the HFRLM process was stable and could carry out simultaneous extraction and concentration of penicillin G from aqueous solutions. As a carrier facilitated transport process, the addition of DOA in organic phase could greatly enhance the mass transfer rate; and there was a favorable organic/aqueous volume ratio of 1:20 to 1:30 for this system. The mass transfer flux and overall mass transfer coefficient increased with decreasing pH in the feed phase and increasing pH in the stripping phase, because of variation of the mass transfer driving force caused by pH gradient and distribution equilibrium. The flow rate of the shell side had significant influence on the mass transfer performance, whereas the effect of flow rate of lumen side on the mass transfer performance was slight because of the mass transfer intensification of renewal effect in the lumen side. The results indicated that the HFRLM process was a promising method for the recovery of penicillin G from aqueous solutions. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009     

Continuous penicillin G hydrolysis in an electro-membrane reactor with immobilized penicillin G acylase

Penicillin G (2%, w/v in phosphate buffer, pH 8) was hydrolysed in a flow-through, miniature electro-membrane reactor with the penicillin G acylase immobilized in 5% (w/v) polyacrylamide (diam. 10 mm, thickness 2.6 mm, enzyme activity 24 U ml^–1). The conversion of penicillin G increased from 0.15 to almost 0.5 when the electric current applied to the reactor was changed from –600 to +600 A/m² with a substrate residency of 1 h. Symbols and abbreviations c _j ^p & concentration of component j in product stream (M) c _j ^s & concentration of component j in substrate stream (M) c _s ^o & substrate concentration at reactor inlet (M) C _j ^p=c _j ^p/c _S ⁰ & scaled concentration of component j in product stream C _j ^s=c _j ^s/c _S ⁰ & scaled concentration of component j in substrate stream i & electric current density (A/m²) j & reaction component, j P, Q or S P & main reaction product (6-aminopenicillanic acid) PGA & penicillin G acylase Q & side reaction product (phenylacetic acid) S & substrate (penicillin G) Y _s=C _P ^s+C _P ^p & substrate conversion & mean residence time of substrate and product streams in reactor (h) =C _Q ^s+C _Q ^p+C _S ^s+C _S ^s & check-sum of scaled concentrations =C _P ^p/(C _P ^s+C _P ^p) & separation factor of 6-aminopenicillanic acid (0 1)     

Oxygen transfer in broths of plant cells at high density

The rheological properties of the culture broths of some plant cells (Cudrania tricuspidata, Vinca rosea, and Agrostemma githago) at high density (10-18 g dry wt/L) were measured, and oxygen transfer in the broths in various bioreactors was investigated. The rheological properties of the broths were dependent on the size, specific gravity, and concentration of the cell aggregates contained in the broths. The broths were non-Newtonian and pseudoplastic fluids. The flow behavior index n was fairly constant (0.53) and the consistency index K varied in proportion to the sixth-to-seventh power of the cell mass concentration M. The apparent viscosity mu(a) of the broths was in proportion to the 6.5th power of M. The oxygen transfer in the broths was discussed on the basis of the results obtained for suspensions of granulated agars (agar concentration, 5.8%) in water, which were similar to the broths in rheological properties. The volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient k(L)a in the broths was dependent on mu(a)(k(L)a proportional, variant mu(a) (-m)) and decreased greatly at a certain apparent viscosity, mu(ac). The values of m and mu(ac) were closely related to the aeration-agitation mechanisms of the bioreactors. The values of mu(ac) in aeration-agitation type bioreactors was larger than that in aeration-type bioreactors, whereas for m, the reverse was true.     

Role of protein subunits in Proteus rettgeri penicillin G acylase.

Penicillin G acylase from Proteus rettgeri is an 80,000- to 90,000-dalton enzyme composed of two nonidentical subunits. Both subunits were required for enzymatic activity. The 65,000-dalton beta subunit contained a phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride-sensitive residue required for enzymatic activity, and the 24,500-dalton alpha subunit contained the domain that imparts specificity for the penicillin side chain.     

Flow-injection-chemiluminescence method for the determination of penicillin G potassium.

The degradation product of penicillin G potassium can react with potassium permanganate in acidic medium and produce chemiluminescence, which is greatly enhanced by formaldehyde. The optimum conditions for this chemiluminescent reaction were studied in detail using a flow-injection system. The experiments indicated that under optimum conditions, the chemiluminescence intensity was linearly related to the concentration of penicillin G potassium within the range 1.0 x 10(-7)-1.0 x 10(-5) g/mL, with a detection limit (3sigma) of 7 x 10(-8) g/mL. The relative standard deviation was 1.0% for 4.0 x 10(-7) g/mL penicillin G potassium solution (n = 11). This method has the advantages of simple operation, fast response and high sensitivity. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of penicillin G potassium in raw medicines.