A continuous perforated rotating disc contactor was used to extract the enzyme ascorbic oxidoreductase (E.C.1.10.3.3) from crude extract of Curcubita maxima with an aqueous two-phase system of poly (ethylene glycol) and phosphate salts. The effect of dispersed phase velocity on either protein mass transfer coefficients or separation efficiency at 1, 2 and 3 mL/min was studied. An increase of the mass transfer coefficients was observed with the dispersed phase velocity, while the separation efficiency showed a small decrease with the increase of this parameter. The experimental results obtained during continuous extraction showed that the ascorbic oxidoreductase activity was partitioned preferentially into the salt-rich phase in all conditions studied. The best recovery of enzyme activity was 236%, with a purification factor of 34 in flow rates of 1 mL/min for dispersed phase.
Efficiency; mass transfer coefficient; Perforated Rotating Disc contactor; aqueous two-phase system; ascorbic oxidoreductase
