Modeling of chromatographic column for galactooligosaccharide purification

• Grant number: 19/17494-2
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2021
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal researcher: Felipe Fernando Furlan
• Grantee: Enrico Emanuel Tonholo
• Home Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Whey and milk permeate are commonly discarded by small dairy producers, despite the high chemical oxygen demand they present. However, these by-products from the dairy industry can be used to manufacture galactooligosaccharides (GOS) by the enzymatic route. GOS is a high value-added product used in infant formulations and recognized for its prebiotic effect. However, GOS synthesis has low yields, since GOS is an intermediate product that will be completely converted to glucose and galactose at the end of the reaction. This makes the separation and purification stage of the product important, as the presence of lactose, galactose, and glucose in the formulation prevent its consumption by diabetics and lactose-intolerant people. Among the methods used for purification, chromatography is the most used today. In addition to being used in purification, separation processes can be employed simultaneously to the reaction, enabling higher yields to be achieved. In this context, this project goal is to model GOS separation step using a chromatographic column. This will allow verification of the feasibility of its use simultaneously to the reaction, in order to increase the reaction yield. Initially different chromatographic resins will be screened to evaluate their selectivity. Subsequently, different adsorption models will be tested for the resin with higher GOS selectivity and the chosen model will be used in the simulation of the chromatography column. This project aligns with three other FAPESP approved projects: a research project and a scientific initiation project, both coordinated by Prof. Dr. Marcelo Perencin of Arruda Ribeiro (FAPESP-WVU, Proc .: 2018/04933-5, FAPESP-IC 2018/26443-0) focused on the production of GOS; a PIPE-FAPESP project coordinated by Dr. Willian Kopp (PIPE Phase 2 2018/08369-7) focused on the development of a high throughput process development (htpd) platform for rapid development of bioproduct purification processes employing chromatographic resins. In addition, it is also linked to the extension project (no. 23112.000630/2019-31) at UFSCar, coordinated by Prof. Dr. Marcelo Ribeiro which aims to implement chromatography models. Both coordinators will participate as a discussion team for the development of this scientific initiation project.