Demineralization of Fermentation Broths and Purification of Fine Chemicals Such as Oligosaccharides

A method for the demineralization of a solution comprising one or more fine chemicals, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• a) providing the solution comprising one or more oligosaccharides;
• b) optionally adjusting the pH to the desired value below 7 or less by adding at least one acid to the solution comprising the one or more oligosaccharide,
• c) optional decolorization step,
• d) an optional incubation step,
• e) carrying out a first membrane filtration being microfiltration or ultrafiltration,
• f) optionally a second membrane filtration being microfiltration or ultrafiltration of the permeate of the first membrane filtration,
• g) with a optional decolorization step of the permeate of the second membrane filtration, and
• h) a first nanofiltration step;
• with a sub-step of concentration and a sub-step of diafiltration.

A method for purification of one or more fine chemicals from a solution comprising biomass and one or more oligosaccharides, comprising the steps of

• i) providing a solution comprising biomass and one or more oligosaccharides,
• ii) setting the pH value of the solution below 7 or less by adding at least one acid to the solution comprising biomass and the one or more oligosaccharide,
• iii) decolorizing the solution at least in part by adding an adsorbing agent to the solution comprising biomass and one or more oligosaccharides,
• iv) optionally an incubation step,
• v) carrying out a membrane filtration and being a microfiltration or ultrafiltration so as to separate the biomass from the solution comprising the one or more oligosaccharides;
• vi) optionally carrying out at least one second or further membrane filtration being microfiltration or ultrafiltration with the permeate of the first membrane filtration;
• vii) optionally carrying out a decolorization step;
• viii) carrying out a nanofiltration with the permeate of the membrane filtration antedating this step viii, either with the permeate of the first or the second or any further membrane filtration;
• ix) optionally a decolorization step;
• and
• x) optionally a second nanofiltration with the retentate of the nanofiltration of the previous nanofiltration step viii, wherein the nanofiltration membrane used is a different from the one in the previous nanofiltration step;
• xi) optionally a third or further nanofiltration with a membrane differing from the one of the previous nanofiltration step.