Adsorption of laminaribiose in an in-situ product recovery process

Abstract

With the decreasing availability of fossil carbon sources new synthesis routes for pharmaceuticals and finechemicals find growing interest. Higher oligosaccharide laminaribiose can be produced by enzymatic synthesis from inexpensive sucrose. For an economic process an in-situ product removal by adsorption is investigated. BEA 50 zeolite shows high potential for application due to its good adsorption properties. Isotherms show Langmuir behavior and adequate loadings of nearly 100 mg · g-1 can be reached. Other intermediates formed during the process do not adsorb on this zeolite or show weaker adsorption. Further thermal desorption can be used to regain laminaribiose. However the use of BEA 50 zeolite needs a sophisticated desorption process because of the zeolites' high acidity which catalyzes the degradation of laminaribiose. Hence lower temperatures have to be used or combined with displacement desorption. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.