Multi-User Equipment approved in grant 14/01580-3: counter current chromatography

• Grant number: 16/23776-2
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• Start date: April 01, 2017
• End date: March 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Valéria de Carvalho Santos Ebinuma
• Grantee: Valéria de Carvalho Santos Ebinuma
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/01580-3 - Biotechnological process for the development of new natural colorants from microorganisms for industrial application, AP.JP
• EMU web page: https://www2.fcfar.unesp.br/#!/laboratorio-multiusuarios-departamento-de-bioprocessos-e-biotencologia
• Type of equipment: Caracterização de Materiais - Análises Químicas - Cromatrografia líquida
• Manufacturer: AECS-QUICKPREP LTD
• Model: Quik-prep

Abstract

In the last years, there has been a trend towards the replacement of synthetic colorants by natural ones, mainly due to the increase of consumer demand by more natural products. Thus, the research for new natural colorants, such as those produced by fungi, to be applied as bioadditives in a broad range of industrial sectors has been growing. In this context, it is important to optimize the production and extraction parameters, in order to reduce the overall cost production and enhance the entry of those bioproducts in the consumer market. This project purposes the study of all development steps of new natural colorants, namely, production, extraction, molecular identification and biological activity aiming their industrial application. In the first stage, it will be evaluated the colorants production in rotary shaker by submerged culture of Penicilllium purpurogenum DPUA 1275 employing alternative substracts (rice brain, wheat bran and sugar cane bagasse). After the optimization of the nutritional conditions using rotary shaker, it will be studied the colorants production in bioreactor, as well the adjustment of the stirring speed and aeration rate of bioreactor. In the purification stage, liquid-liquid extraction with organic solvents will be employed in order to isolate the coloring compounds. Then, the respective chemical structures will be determined using spectrophotometric techniques. Furthermore, it will be applied liquid-liquid extraction using aqueous two-phase systems (SABs) composed of Ionic Liquids (ILs) as an alternative technique for the purification and partition of natural colorants followed by counter-current chromatography to improve the purity of the extracted colorants. Finally, it will be also assessed the colorants biological activity. Considering the above, this proposal approaches different biotechnological aspects not only for production and extraction of microbial natural colorants but also their future applicability. (AU)