Extraction of prodigiosin using aqueous two phase system

Aqueous two-phase system is a modified and amazing separation process of bioproducts in downstream since it keeps their properties. This method is able to give high recovery yield and high purity in a single step. Prodigiosin pigment was produced by Serratia marcescens in carbohydrate fermentation. It is the first time to extract the prodigiosin by aqueous two-phase system, where two types of system are applied; polymer/polymer and polymer/salt. The parameters studied on the recovery per cent and partition coefficient of prodigiosin are temperature, weight fraction of polymer in solution, molecular weight of polymer, weight fraction of salt in solution, and pH. The maximum recovery and partition coefficient of prodigiosin are obtained in the first system (PEG6000/Dextran) at temperature of 20°C, pH 6, weight fraction of PEG6000 is 0.22, weight fraction of Dextran is 0.15 while in the second system (PEG1500/ammonium sulfate) the maximum recovery and partition coefficient of the prodigiosin are obtained at temperature of 20°C, pH 5, weight fraction of salt is 0.15, and weight fraction of PEG1500 is 0.24.