Comparative Study on Pantothenic Acid Separation by Reactive Extraction with Tri-n-octylamine and Di-(2-ethylhexyl) Phosphoric Acid

Vitamin B5 was isolated from yeast in 1933, and a few years later from liver, by R.J. Williams. The main role of pantothenic acid in cells is the synthesis of coenzyme A, as well as the synthesis and metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Regarding the human body, this compound is involved in the health of the digestive, nervous, circulatory, and skeletal systems, skin and hair, as well as in the synthesis of hormones (insulin, adrenaline). It also plays an important role in increasing the immunity of the human body. Generally, pantothenic acid is obtained from natural sources (bread yeast, mushrooms, cereals, eggs, peanuts, soybeans, lentil, liver of various animals or birds, etc.). From these materials, this compound can be obtained by extraction with aqueous solvents, in weak acidic medium (pH = 4–5) at elevated temperature (80–95 °C), with or without prior enzymatic hydrolysis of the natural compounds formed by the acid (usually, the enzymatic complex containing papain is used for this purpose).2,3 Pantothenic acid can also be obtained by chemical synthesis.4 An efficient alternative is its biosynthesis by microorganisms, due to the reduction of the required process steps and consumption of materials and energy. The biochemical synthesis uses Brucella abortus, Azotobacter vinelandii, Escherichia coli, Fusarium oxysporum microorganisms, the main nutrients of the cultivation media being glucose and ammonium inorganic or organic salts.4–7 The separation of pantothenic acid from natural extracts or biosynthesis media can be carried out by Comparative Study on Pantothenic Acid Separation by Reactive Extraction with Tri-n-octylamine and Di-(2-ethylhexyl) Phosphoric Acid