PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS ENZYMATIC EXTRACTION OF HYDROPHOBIC PRODUCTS AND DEVICE SUITABLE THEREFOR

摘要

The invention concerns the extraction, into an organic solvent, of hydrophobic products from the aqueous product-containing reaction mixture (product flow) of a continuous enzyme-catalyzed process through a microporous product-permeable membrane, whilst the reaction mixture depleted of product is recycled for production purposes. The enzyme-catalyzed reaction occurs in particular in a reactor containing an immobilised enzyme, preferably in the enzyme membrane reactor. In order to separate the product, the product-containing reaction mixture preferably passes through a hollow fibre membrane bundle around which the product-solvent flows externally, in particular in counterflow. The effective pore size of the membrane ranges in particular from 5 to 500 mu m and the process is performed in particular at a differential pressure between the aqueous phase and organic solvent of 0.5 to 5 bars. A production circuit incorporating an extraction cartridge, in particular in the form of a hollow fibre membrane bundle, with a product-permeable porous membrane is suitable as a device for carrying out the process.