The development of an automated countercurrent chromatography process for isolation of anthocyanins

• Published in: Journal of Chromatography A Vol. 1575; pp. 66 - 71
• Main Authors: Thornton, David, Barton, Linda, Hsu, Leo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 09.11.2018
• Subjects: Anthocyanins; Anthocyanins - isolation & purification; Automated CCC processing; Black currant extract; Chemistry Techniques, Analytical - methods; Countercurrent chromatography; Countercurrent Distribution; MBAWat solvent system composition; Solvents - chemistry; Anthocyanins; Countercurrent chromatography; Black currant extract; MBAWat solvent system composition; Automated CCC processing
• ISSN: 0021-9673; 1873-3778
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2018.09.020

•Isolation of anthocyanins from black currant extract (BCE) is described.•Scale-up and automated processing of BCE is demonstrated.•Composition of upper and lower phases of methyl-t-butyl ether/n-butanol/acetonitrile/water (MBAWat) solvent system is presented. We developed an automated countercurrent chromatography (CCC) process to isolate anthocyanins from black currant extract utilizing a solvent system of methyl-t-butyl ether, n-butanol, acetonitrile and water with pH adjusted by addition of trifluoroacetic acid in normal phase mode. The process has excellent repeatability as indicated by the high purity of isolated products (90% or better) and the low retention time variability (<10% RSD overall and <5% RSD at constant mass loading). In addition, we determined solvent system ratios to facilitate independent preparation of stationary and mobile phases which enabled us to reduce solvent waste by 70%.