Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of (i) separating a first water-soluble or water-dispersible bio-affecting substance, contained in a first liquid medium, from one or more other components of said first liquid medium, said other components being selected from impurities and other water-soluble and/or water-dispersible bio-affecting substances, and/or (ii) purifying said first bio-affecting substance contained in said first liquid medium together with said one or more other components, characterized in that the method comprises:- (a) forming a mixture comprising the first liquid medium and particulate, polymeric adsorbent capable of preferentially adsorbing the first bio-affecting substance or said one or more other components therefrom, the adsorbent having an average particle size of 0.01 to 5 micrometers, whereby the adsorbent reversibly binds the first bio-affecting substance or said one or more other components to form a complex; (b) subjecting the mixture from step (a) to membrane filtration, the membrane being impermeable to said complex, whereby said first bio-affecting substance is separated from said one or more other components and/or is purified.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of (i) separating a first water-soluble or water-dispersible bio-affecting substance, contained in a first liquid medium, from one or more other components of said first liquid medium, said other components being selected from impurities and other water-soluble and/or water-dispersible bio-affecting substances, and/or (ii) purifying said first bio-affecting substance contained in said first liquid medium together with said one or more other components, characterized in that the method comprises:- (a) forming a mixture comprising the first liquid medium and particulate, polymeric adsorbent capable of preferentially adsorbing the first bio-affecting substance or said one or more other components therefrom, the adsorbent having an average particle size of 0.01 to 5 micrometers, whereby the adsorbent reversibly binds the first bio-affecting substance or said one or more other components to form a complex; (b) subjecting the mixture from step (a) to membrane filtration, the membrane being impermeable to said complex, whereby said first bio-affecting substance is separated from said one or more other components and/or is purified.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for (i) separating a first water-soluble or water-dispersible bio-affecting substance from a first liquid medium comprising said first bio-affecting substance and one or more of impurities and other water-soluble and/or water-dispersible bio-affecting substances, and/or (ii) purifying said first bio-affecting substance contained in said first liquid medium, characterized in that the method comprises:- (a) forming a mixture comprising the first liquid medium and particulate polymeric adsorbent capable of preferentially adsorbing the first bio-affecting substance therefrom, the adsorbent having an average particle size of 0.01 to 5 micrometers, whereby the adsorbent reversibly binds the first bio-affecting substance to form a complex; (b) subjecting the mixture from step (a), containing the adsorbent/first bio-affecting substance complex, to membrane filtration wherein the membrane is permeable to any of said impurities and other bio-affecting substances present but not to the complex, whereby the complex and any of said impurities and other bio-affecting substances present are separated, and/or said first bio-affecting substance is purified.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for (i) separating a first water-soluble or water-dispersible bio-affecting substance from a first liquid medium comprising said first bio-affecting substance and one or more of impurities and other water-soluble and/or water-dispersible bio-affecting substances, and/or (ii) purifying said first bio-affecting substance contained in said first liquid medium, characterized in that the method comprises:- (a) forming a mixture comprising the first liquid medium and particulate polymeric adsorbent capable of preferentially adsorbing the first bio-affecting substance therefrom, the adsorbent having an average particle size of 0.01 to 5 micrometers, whereby the adsorbent reversibly binds the first bio-affecting substance to form a complex; (b) subjecting the mixture from step (a), containing the adsorbent/first bio-affecting substance complex, to membrane filtration wherein the membrane is permeable to any of said impurities and other bio-affecting substances present but not to the complex, whereby the complex and any of said impurities and other bio-affecting substances present are separated, and/or said first bio-affecting substance is purified.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, comprising the additional step of: (c) liberating the first bio-affecting substance from the polymer particles of the complex, for example with electrolyte, into a second liquid medium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method as claimed in claim 3, which comprises the additional step of: (d) subjecting the second liquid medium, containing the liberated first bio-affecting substance and the adsorbent polymer particles, to membrane filtration as in step (b), whereby the first bio-affecting substance, but not the adsorbent polymer particles, accumulates in the permeate.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the adsorbent comprises ion exchange resin, for example, bearing up to about 1.5 functional groups per monomer unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the particles of the ion exchange resin comprise substantially spherical beads or ground particles.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the ion exchange resin comprises acidic or basic ion exchange resin, for example the first bio-affecting substance is positively charged and the ion exchange resin is acidic, or the first bio-affecting substance is negatively charged and the ion exchange resin is basic.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the particulate, polymeric adsorbent comprises uncharged polymer, for example, ion exchange resin precursor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the particulate, polymeric adsorbent and the first bio-affecting substance are hydrophobic.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first bio-affecting substance comprises proteinaceous material, an amino acid, an antibiotic, a vitamin or a nucleic acid.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
50 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first bio-affecting substance and said one or more of impurities and other bio-affecting substances are suspended or dissolved in the first liquid medium, and/or the first liquid medium is aqueous and the particulate, polymeric adsorbent is water-insoluble or substantially water-insoluble.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the other water-soluble and/or water-dispersible bio-affecting substances comprise one or more of a protein, an amino acid, a nucleic acid, an antibiotic, or a vitamin.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
171 words
Use of particulate, polymeric adsorbent for aiding (i) separation of a first water-soluble or water-dispersible bio-affecting substance, contained in a first liquid medium, from one or more other components of said first liquid medium, said other components being selected from impurities and other water-soluble and/or water-dispersible bio-affecting substances, and/or (ii) purification of said first bio-affecting substance contained in said first liquid medium together with said one or more other components, characterized in that: (a) a mixture is formed comprising the first liquid medium and particulate, polymeric adsorbent capable of preferentially adsorbing the first bio-affecting substance or said one or more other components therefrom, the adsorbent having an average particle size of 0.01 to 5 micrometers, whereby the adsorbent reversibly binds the first bio-affecting substance or said one or more other components to form a complex; and (b) the mixture from step (a) is subjected to membrane filtration, the membrane being impermeable to said complex, whereby said first bio-affecting substance is separated from said one or more other components and/or is purified.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
171 words
Use of particulate, polymeric adsorbent for aiding (i) separation of a first water-soluble or water-dispersible bio-affecting substance, contained in a first liquid medium, from one or more other components of said first liquid medium, said other components being selected from impurities and other water-soluble and/or water-dispersible bio-affecting substances, and/or (ii) purification of said first bio-affecting substance contained in said first liquid medium together with said one or more other components, characterized in that: (a) a mixture is formed comprising the first liquid medium and particulate, polymeric adsorbent capable of preferentially adsorbing the first bio-affecting substance or said one or more other components therefrom, the adsorbent having an average particle size of 0.01 to 5 micrometers, whereby the adsorbent reversibly binds the first bio-affecting substance or said one or more other components to form a complex; and (b) the mixture from step (a) is subjected to membrane filtration, the membrane being impermeable to said complex, whereby said first bio-affecting substance is separated from said one or more other components and/or is purified.