Separation matrix and method of separation

• Main Authors: Jonas Olof Bengtsson, Ronnie Palmgren, Linn Carlsson, Andreas Axén
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.10.2019
• Subjects: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PHYSICS; TESTING; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING

The invention discloses a separation matrix comprising polysaccharide gel beads, wherein said polysaccharide gel beads comprise embedded fibers. The embedded fibres may be dispersed in or chemically linked to the polysaccharide. The embedded fibers may be up to 80% of the non-fibre matrix dry weight. The fibres can be cellulose, a cellulose derivative or microfibrillated cellulose (MFC). The fibres may be furcated. The polysaccharide gel can comprise agarose or agar. The beads may have a sphericity greater than 0.95. The invention further discloses a method of preparing the separation matrix by mixing an aqueous solution of at least one gellable polysaccharide with fibres, then forming gel beads of the aqueous solution. The solution of the gellable polysaccharide and the fibres may be emulsified in an oil phase, with the gel beads being formed by reducing the temperature. The method may also include cross-linking the gellable polysaccharide, possibly by addition of epichlorohydrin. Chromatography ligands may be attached to reactive hydroxyl groups of the gel beads. Further aspects relate to use of the matrix to isolate, purify or remove a target compound, and a method of separating a target compound.