METHOD FOR CONCENTRATING AND SEPARATING HIGHLY UNSATURATED FATTY ACID ESTER

摘要

PURPOSE:To advantageously obtain the aimed high-purity compound on an industrial scale, by using zeolite as an adsorbent and nonpolar solvent and polar solvent respectively as desorbing agents in concentrating and separating an eicosapentaenoic acid ester from a fatty acid ester mixture. CONSTITUTION:(i) A solution of a fatty acid mixture containing an eicosapentaenoic acid ester (hereinafter referred to as EPA ester) in a nonpolar solvent is brought into contact with zeolite, preferably containing alkylammonium cations to adsorb the EPA ester thereon. (ii) A nonpolar solvent is then brought into contact with the afore-mentioned zeolite to desorb impurities, such as oleic acid esters or linoleic acid esters. (ii) Furthermore, a polar solvent is brought into contact with the above-mentioned zeolite to desorb the EPA ester and advantageously obtain the high-purity EPA ester useful as a precursor for prostaglandin from the afore-mentioned mixture on an industrial scale by simpler operation than that in a well-known method.