Mixer-settler counter-current chromatography with multiple spiral disk assembly.

A novel system for performing high-speed counter-current chromatography has been developed for separation of biopolymers using polymer phase systems. The spiral disk assembly consisting of eight units, each equipped with over 300 mixer-settler sets, was constructed and performance evaluated in terms of retention of the stationary phase and separation efficiency. A series of experiments was performed with a polymer phase system composed of polyethylene glycol 1000 (12.5%, w/w) and dibasic potassium phosphate (12.5%, w/w) using two stable protein samples of myoglobin and lysozyme at various experimental conditions of flow rates and revolution speeds. The best results were obtained with revolution speeds of 800-1000rpm at flow rates of 0.25-0.5ml/min where the partition efficiency of several 100 theoretical plates was achieved with over 50% stationary phase retention.