Downstream Processing Of Fatty Alcohol Compositions Produced By Recombinant Host Cells

Abstract

The disclosure relates to downstream processing of fatty alcohol (FALC) and provides a novel purification method that provides FALC at high purity and yield.

1 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method for recovering free fatty acid (FFA) from a fatty alcohol composition, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a starting material comprising fatty alcohol (FALC) and saponifiable impurities, wherein the starting material is derived from a microorganism grown in a fermentation broth;   (b) adding a strong base to the starting material to generate a first mixture;   (c) evaporating the first mixture to generate a second mixture enriched for FALC and a distillation bottom comprising soap and strong base;   (d) acidulating the distillation bottom with an acid to generate an acidulated bottom comprising FFA, acid and water, wherein the acidulated bottom is maintained at a temperature of at least 100° C.; and   (e) collecting the acidulated bottom to recover FFA.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the acid is a mineral acid or an organic acid. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of sulfonic acid, carboxylic acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydroiodic acid, hypochlorous acid, chlorous acid, chloric acid, perchloric acid, sulfuric acid, fluorosulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, hexafluorophosphoric acid, chromic acid, boric acid, methanesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, gluconic acid, and formic acid. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the acid is an aqueous mixture comprising 1% wt to 25% wt acid. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the acid is an aqueous mixture of sulfuric acid. 
     
     
         34 . The method as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the aqueous mixture of sulfuric acid is 10% wt to 20% wt sulfuric acid, and wherein the sulfuric acid is added to a 20% stoichiometric excess and the acidulated bottom is maintained at a temperature of 100° C. to 130° C. for at least 1 hour. 
     
     
         35 . The method as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the saponifiable impurities comprise FFA, fatty-fatty ester (FFE) and carbonyl-containing compounds. 
     
     
         36 . The method as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the starting material comprises 40 wt % to 90 wt % FALC.