United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Alan R Thomson

Brynley J Miles

John C Caygill

David J Moore

Proteases are separated from fluids by contacting a fluid with a porous inorganic material such as porous titania particles to sorb the protease and then eluting the protease from the inorganic material. Proteases which may be separated are the sulphydryl proteases including papain, stem bromelain, fruit bromelain, ficin, calotropain and mexicain. Elution of the protease may be carried out with plant juice from which protease has previously been removed. The porous inorganic material is preferably that prepared by mixing a finely divided sorptive inorganic material with a solid fugitive additive and a solvent to dissolve the fugitive, forming discrete particles from the resultant mixture and heating the particles to remove the solvent and fugitive to produce discrete particles of the inorganic material for contacting with the fluid.

Separation of proteases from fluids

A process is disclosed for the separation of macromolecules from a fluid substance containing the macromolecules. The process comprises contacting the fluid substance with discrete porous particles having an interconnected porosity throughout which provides an extended surface area and a pore structure such as will allow the macromolecules to permeate the particles and be sorbed, the discrete porous particles being selected such that a proportion thereof have acidic surfaces for contacting the macromolecules in the fluid substance and a proportion thereof have basic surfaces for contacting the macromolecules in the fluid substance. A process for the separation of protein from milk whey solution is also disclosed.

Separation of macromolecules

Porous material particularly suitable for selective sorption and retention of macromolecules are manufactured by mixing a finely divided inorganic material with a fugitive additive, forming into discrete particles and heat treating to remove fugitive additive. The fugitive additive is a solid which is preferably mixed with the inorganic material after dissolving the additive in a solvent which is not a solvent for the inorganic material.

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Abingdon, United Kingdom

Alan R Thomson