Abstract
In the present work, it was found that aqueous solution of a hydrophilic ionic liquid (IL), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide ([C4mim][N(CN)2]), could be separated into an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) by inorganic salts such as K2HPO4 and K3PO4. The top phase is IL-rich, while the bottom phase is phosphate-rich. It was shown that 82.7%–100% bovine serum albumin (BSA) could be enriched into the top phase and almost quantitative saccharides (arabinose, glucose, sucrose, raffinose or dextran) were preferentially extracted into the bottom phase in a single-step extraction by [C4mim][N(CN)2] + K2HPO4 ATPS. The extraction efficiency of BSA from the aqueous saccharide solutions was influenced by the molecular structure of saccharides. The conductivity, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were combined to investigate the microstructure of the IL-rich top phase and the possible mechanism for the selective separation. It is suggested that the formation of the IL aggregate and the IL aggregate-BSA complex plays a significant role in the separation of BSA from aqueous saccharide solutions. This is the first example for the selective separation by ILs-based ATPSs. It is expected that these findings would have potential applications in bio-analysis, separation, and IL recycle.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Welton T. Room-temperature ionic liquids. Solvents for synthesis and catalysis. Chem Rev, 1999, 99: 2071–2084
Wasserscheid P, Keim W. Ionic liquids-new “solutions” for transition metal catalysis. Angew Chem Int Ed, 2000, 39: 3772–3789
Dupont J, de Souza RF, Suarez PAZ. Ionic liquid (molten salt) phase organometallic catalysis. Chem Rev, 2002, 102: 3667–3692
Pandey S. Analytical applications of room-temperature ionic liquids: A review of recent efforts. Anal Chim Acta, 2006, 556: 38–45
Han XX, Armstrong DW. Ionic liquids in separations. Acc Chem Res, 2007, 40: 1079–1086
Shimojo KNK, Kamiya N, Goto M. Crown ether-mediated extraction and functional conversion of cytochrome c in ionic liquids. Biomacromolecules, 2006, 7: 2–5
Baskir JN, Hatton TA, Suter UW. Protein partitioning in two-phase aqueous polymer systems. Biotechnol Bioeng, 1989, 34: 541–558
Hatti-Kaul R. Aqueous Two-Phase Systems: A General Overview in Aqueous Two-Phase Systems: Methods and Protocols. New Jersey: Human Press, 2000. 1–10
Andrews BA, Schmidt AS, Asenjo JA. Correlation for the partition behavior of proteins in aqueous two-phase systems: Effect of surface hydrophobicity and charge. Biotechno Bioeng, 2005, 90: 380–390
Cole KD. Purification of plasmid and high molecular mass DNA using PEG-salt two phase extraction. Biotechniques, 1991, 11: 18–24
Gutowski KE, Broker GA, Willauer HD, Huddleston JG, Swatloski RP, Holbrey JD, Rogers RD. Controlling the aqueous miscibility of ionic liquids: Aqueous biphasic systems of water-miscible ionic liquids and water-structuring salts for recycle, metathesis, and separations. J Am Chem Soc, 2003, 125: 6632–6633
He CY, Li SH, Liu HW, Li K, Liu F. Extraction of testosterone and epitestosterone in human urine using aqueous two-phase systems of ionic liquid and salt. J Chromatogr A, 2005, 1082: 143–149
Neves CMSS, Ventura SPM, Freire MG, Marrucho IM, Coutinho JAP. Evaluation of cation influence on the formation and extraction capability of ionic-liquid-based aqueous biphasic systems. J Phys Chem B, 2009, 113: 5194–5199
Li SH, He CY, Liu HW, Li K, Liu F. Ionic liquid-based aqueous two-phase system, a sample pretreatment procedure prior to high-performance liquid chromatography of opium alkaloids. J Chromatogr B, 2005, 826: 58–62
Ventura SPM, Neves CMSS, Freire MG, Marrucho IM, Oliveira J, Coutinho JAP. Evaluation of anion influence on the formation and extraction capability of ionic-liquid-based aqueous biphasic systems. J Phys Chem B, 2009, 113: 9304–9310
Jiang YY, Xia HS, Guo C, Mahmood I, Liu HZ. Phenomena and mechanism for separation and recovery of penicillin in ionic liquids aqueous solution. Ind Eng Chem Res, 2007, 46: 6303–6312
Du Z, Yu YL, Wang JH. Extraction of proteins from biological fluids by use of an ionic liquid/aqueous two-phase system. Chem Eur J, 2007, 13: 2130–2137
Pei YC, Wang JJ, Wu K, Xuan XP, Lu XJ. Ionic liquid-based aqueous two-phase extraction of selected proteins. Sep Purif Tech, 2009, 64: 288–295
Cao Q, Quan L, He CY, Li N, Li K, Liu F. Partition of horseradish peroxidase with maintained activity in aqueous biphasic system based on ionic liquid. Talanta, 2008, 77: 160–165
Huddleston JG, Visser AE, Reichert WM, Willauer HD, Broker GA, Rogers RD. Characterization and comparison of hydrophilic and hydrophobic room temperature ionic liquids incorporating the imidazolium cation. Green Chem, 2001, 3: 156–164
Liu QB, Janssen MHA, Rantwijk FV, Sheldon RA. Room-temperature ionic liquids that dissolve carbohydrates in high concentrations. Green Chem, 2005, 7: 39–42
Pei YC, Wang JJ, Liu L, Wu K, Zhao Y. Liquid-liquid equilibria of aqueous biphasic systems containing selected imidazolium ionic liquids and salts. J Chem Eng Data, 2007, 52: 2026–2031
Michel D, Gilles KA, Hamilton JK, Rebers PA, Fred S. Colorimetric method for determination of sugars and related substances. Anal Chem, 1956, 28: 350–356
Bridges NJ, Gutowski KE, Rogers RD. Investigation of aqueous biphasic systems formed from solutions of chaotropic salts with kosmotropic salts (salt-salt ABS). Green Chem, 2007, 9: 177–183
Zafarani-Moattar MT, Hamzehzadeh S. Liquid-liquid equilibria of aqueous two-phase systems containing 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide and potassium phosphate or dipotassium hydrogen phosphate at 298.15 K. J Chem Eng Data, 2007, 52: 1686–1692
Marcus Y. Thermodynamics of solvation of ions. Part 5.—Gibbs free energy of hydration at 298.15 K. J Chem Soc Faraday Trans, 1991, 87: 2995–2999
Zasllavsky BY, Miheeva LM, Mesteckina NM, Rogozhin SV. Physico-chemical factors governing partition behaviour of solutes and particles in aqueous polymeric biphasic systems. II. Effect of ionic composition on the hydration properties of the phases. J Chromatogr A, 1982, 253: 149–158
Constantinescu D, Herrmann C, Weingärtner H. Protein denaturation by ionic liquids and the Hofmeister series: a case study of aqueous solutions of Ribonuclease A. Angew Chem Int Ed, 2007, 46: 1–4
Zhao H. Effect of ions and other compatible solutes on enzyme activity, and its implication for biocatalysis using ionic liquids. J Mol Catal B, 2005, 37: 16–25
Wu B, Zhang YM, Wang HP. Phase behavior for ternary systems composed of ionic liquid + saccharides + water. J Phys Chem B, 2008, 112: 6426–6429
Galema SA, Engberts JB, Blandamer MJ. Stereochemical aspects of the hydration of carbohydrates. Kinetic medium effects of monosaccharides on a water-catalyzed hydrolysis reaction. J Am Chem Soc, 1990, 112: 9665–9666
Chang SC, Weaver MJ. In situ infrared spectroscopy at single-crystal metal electrodes: An emerging link between electrochemical and ultrahigh-vacuum surface science. J Phys Chem, 1991, 95: 5391–5400
Wang HY, Wang JJ, Zhang SB, Xuan XP. Structural effects of anions and cations on the aggregation behavior of ionic liquids in aqueous solutions. J Phys Chem B, 2008, 112: 16682–16689
Michalis A, Panagiotis S, Elefteria N, Herve R, Apostolos KR, Georgios T. Molecular size determination of a membrane protein in surfactants by light scattering. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 2003, 1615: 69–76
Spelzini D, Peleteiro J, Pico G, Farruggia B. Polyethyleneglycolpepsin interaction and its relationship with protein partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems. Colloids and Surfaces B, 2008, 67: 151–156
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pei, Y., Li, Z., Liu, L. et al. Selective separation of protein and saccharides by ionic liquids aqueous two-phase systems. Sci. China Chem. 53, 1554–1560 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-010-4025-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-010-4025-9