Continuous chromatography applied to the purification of sugars: a proven separation technology with multiple industrial applications

Abstract

Low-pressure chromatography is a widely implemented purification technique in the sugar industry. It allows for the separation of complex mixtures with different affinities based on a stationary phase, composed of ion exchange resins, and a mobile phase, which is generally water. Industrially, it is implemented in columns with volumes that can reach several hundred cubic meters. The real-life performance for the purification of 2G sugars and organic acids and the advantage of coupling chromatography and nanofiltration for the production of high purity fructose will be explained further in this article.