METHODS FOR PURIFYING BIO-ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM FERMENTATION BROTH CONTAINING SURFACTANTS BY TEMPERATURE-INDUCED PHASE INVERSION

摘要

Methods and systems for purifying bio-organic compounds are described. In certain embodiments, the methods comprise the steps of (a) providing a composition or an emulsion comprising a surfactant, host cells, an aqueous medium and a bio-organic compound produced by the host cells, wherein the solubility of the surfactant in the aqueous medium decreases with increasing temperature and wherein the temperature of the composition or emulsion is at least about 1° C. below a phase inversion temperature of the composition or emulsion; (b) raising the temperature of the composition or emulsion to at least about 1° C. above the phase inversion temperature; and (c) performing a liquid/liquid separation of the composition to provide a crude bio-organic composition or emulsion.