Abstract

BRITES, L. M.; OLIVEIRA, J. H.; BARBOZA, M.  and  HOKKA, C. O.. Effect of physicochemical properties of solvents on clavulanic acid extraction from fermentation broth. Lat. Am. appl. res. [online]. 2012, vol.42, n.1, pp. 65-70. ISSN 1851-8796.

A study was made of the extraction of clavulanic acid (CA) from a fermented medium and its concentration and purification. The fermented broth was obtained by cultivation of Streptomyces clavuligerus in complex medium containing glycerol as the Carbon and energy source, and soybean protein isolate as the Nitrogen source. The extraction steps proposed here were evaluated from the standpoint of Yield, purification factor and concentration factor. The extractions were carried out with ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, 2-butanol, n-butanol and methyl isobutyl ketone. The distribution coefficient was related to the solvent properties and it was found that distribution coefficient is directly proportional to the product of the dielectric constant, with solubility. It was observed that extraction with butanol leads to a higher distribution coefficient than ethyl acetate; however, the higher solubility of water in butanol impairs the final precipitation of clavulanic acid. The optimal condition with ethyl acetate occurs at pH 1.63, yielding an extraction factor of 35.6% with a distribution coefficient of 0.73.

Keywords : Clavulanic Acid; Distribution Coefficient; Extraction; Downstream Process.