Method for purification of amino acid surfactants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing a purified amino acid surfactant from a raw amino acid surfactant containing impurities, comprising the steps of (i) providing the raw amino acid surfactant; and (ii) subjecting the raw amino acid surfactant to an ultrafiltration stage; and (iii) collecting the so produced purified amino acid surfactant, wherein the ultrafiltration stage comprises a filter membrane having a separation limit molecular cut-off from 1000 g/mol to 100,000 g/mol, preferably from 4000 g/mol to 50,000 g/mol, more preferably from 5000 g/mol to 30,000 g/mol. The method can produce purified amino acid surfactants with very low levels of impurities, notably inorganic salts, residual amino acid and polar organic solvents. Furthermore, the method provides high filtration rates with a permeate relatively low in polar organic solvent content.

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