| abstract |
The present invention relates to a process of enriching one target compound from a liquid, which process comprises at least one step of isolation performed by differentially partitioning between two aqueous phases. In the present invention the phases are formed by adding a thermally responsive, self-associating (i.e. clouding) hydrophilic polymer, and if needed some additional salts, to an aqueous biotechnical solution (such as a fermentation sample or bioseparation process stream) under thermal and other conditions where the solution separates into a one polymer, two-phase system with one phase enriched in the polymer. The target compound is to be found in the phase not enriched in the polymer, while a significant though varying percentage of contaminants may differentially partition to the phase interface or the polymer enriched phase. With minor or no modification the target containing phase solution can be further processed via standard unit operations such as precipitation, chromatography, and filtration to further purify target and remove any residual polymer. |