A model for purification of by-products in wood extracts based on frontal chromatography

• Published in: Separation science and technology Vol. 58; no. 3; pp. 486 - 499
• Main Authors: Ravetti Duran, Renan, Muhr, Laurence, Barth, Danielle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 11.02.2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Chromatography; Engineering Sciences; Ethanol; frontal chromatography; hydroxymatairesinol; Isomers; Isotherms; lignans; Optimization; Purification; Separation; Simulation; total phenols; Water purification; Wood; Wood by-products; frontal chromatography; wood by-products; total phenols; purification; lignans; hydroxymatairesinol
• ISSN: 0149-6395; 1520-5754
• DOI: 10.1080/01496395.2022.2123345

The present work consists of the development of a methodology based on reverse-phase frontal chromatography to separate and purify different fractions of wood extract. Equilibrium isotherms of each compound were first determined for 9 ethanol: water concentrations. A model was developed to simulate the profiles obtained by frontal chromatography. The fitting of simulated and experimental profiles led to the validation of the model and to the fact that the studied compounds present linear isotherms even in high concentration ranges. Simulation can therefore be carried out to optimize separations performances. Three purification strategies were considered: (a) separation of the two major classes of families, (b) separation of both Hydroxymatairesinol isomers, and (c) separation of each isomer. The simulation showed a high dependency on ethanol concentration and the best condition for optimizing the load volume was at the lower ethanol concentration (3 v.v.%). For a 250 × 4.6 mm analytical column, the simulation showed that volumes of 6021.0 mL (a), 450.2 mL (b) and 127.9 mL (c) could be loaded. Scale-up criteria are then briefly discussed for large-scale production.