Extraction of Ethyl Ester of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids by Utilizing Slug Flow Prepared by Microreactor

By utilizing a microreactor, extraction of ethyl ester of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA-Et) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA-Et) from an organic solution into an aqueous silver nitrate solution has been investigated. Slug flow preapared by using a T-shape microreactor was used to extract DHA-Et and EPA-Et. Utilizing slug flow created large specific interfacial area between aqueous and organic phases, and ultra fast extraction has been achieved. Extraction of both DHA-Et and EPA-Et took less than 20 s to reach equilibrium. In all of the experiments, the amount of DHA-Et or EPA-Et extracted was the same to that expected from the batch experiment. These facts indicate that the microreactor system can realize an ultra-fast examination system of extraction equilibrium. In addition, by maintaining the temperature quite low, a drastic improvement of extraction ratio is exhibited under a low silver nitrate concentration condition. That is, it can easily cut down silver nitrate by utilizing a microreactor. This is preferable for the practical operation.

[1]  Takashi Morihara,et al.  A Diet Enriched with the Omega-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid Reduces Amyloid Burden in an Aged Alzheimer Mouse Model , 2005, The Journal of Neuroscience.

[2]  E. Molina Grima,et al.  Downstream processing of algal polyunsaturated fatty acids. , 1998 .

[3]  B. Stoll.  n-3 Fatty acids and lipid peroxidation in breast cancer inhibition , 2002, British Journal of Nutrition.

[4]  M. N. Kashid,et al.  Internal Circulation within the Liquid Slugs of a Liquid-Liquid Slug-Flow Capillary Microreactor , 2005 .

[5]  H. Matsuyama,et al.  Extraction of ethyl and methyl esters of polyunsaturated fatty acids with aqueous silver nitrate solutions , 1994 .

[6]  Stuart W. Churchill,et al.  Correlating equations for laminar and turbulent free convection from a horizontal cylinder , 1975 .

[7]  L. Horrocks,et al.  Health benefits of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) , 1999, Pharmacological research.

[8]  B. J. Stordy,et al.  Dark adaptation, motor skills, docosahexaenoic acid, and dyslexia. , 2000, The American journal of clinical nutrition.

[9]  B. Stoll.  Review article n -3 Fatty acids and lipid peroxidation in breast cancer inhibition , 2002 .

[10]  Toru Torii,et al.  Controlled production of monodisperse double emulsions by two-step droplet breakup in microfluidic devices. , 2004, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids.

[11]  H. Matsuyama,et al.  Facilitated uphill transport of eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester through bulk and supported liquid membranes containing silver nitrate as carrier: a new type of uphill transport , 1994 .

[12]  G. Luo,et al.  Controllable preparation of monodisperse O/W and W/O emulsions in the same microfluidic device. , 2006, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids.

[13]  M. Tokeshi,et al.  Integration of a microextraction system on a glass chip: ion-pair solvent extraction of Fe(II) with 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthrolinedisulfonic acid and tri-n-octylmethylammonium chloride , 2000, Analytical chemistry.

[14]  D. Horrobin.  The membrane phospholipid hypothesis as a biochemical basis for the neurodevelopmental concept of schizophrenia , 1998, Schizophrenia Research.