Beschreibung
Industrial scale crystallization of proteins for the purpose of purification and finishing is a promising yet poorly understood technology. This book discusses some recent developments while providing an extensive overview of relevant literature. Developing a crystallization process requires knowledge, first and foremost, of solid-liquid equilibria. Relevant literature on protein solubility is discussed and a recently developed method for rapid determination of protein solubility is presented, which allows time-efficient investigation of the complex phase behaviour of these systems. The kinetics of nucleation and crystal growth are discussed, highlighting in particular the recently proposed two-step nucleation model. Case studies on the application of discontinuous batch processes and coupled melt/suspension crystallization for simultaneous solvent removal and protein crystallization are presented. The batch process case study incorporates not only the central crystallization process but also surrounding unit operations such as extraction of the protein from the source material and downstream operations such as solid liquid separation and focusses upon characterising relevant process parameters influencing the process outcome. The combined melt/suspension crystallization demonstrates the feasibility of this method for isolating a crystalline protein product from a solution and highlights the advantages of the process in terms of its environmental benefits.
Herstellerkennzeichnung:
Shaker Verlag GmbH
Am Langen Graben 15a
52353 Düren
DE
E-Mail: info@shaker.de
