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 800–1000 rpm at flow rates of 0.25–0.5 ml/min where the partition efficiency of several 100 theoretical plates was achieved with over 50% stationary phase retention.