STUDIES ON FOAM FRACTIONATION AND APPLICATION TO LIPOID MATERIALS

A simplified apparatus has been developed for the recovery and concentration of ionic species by foam fractionation. The process involves total reflux by thermal breakage of foam at the top of the column. Mechanical breakage can also be used when heat sensitive materials are used. The system has been applied to several dyes initially and then to the successful recovery of phospholipids and trace concentrations of salts of fatty acids. Solvent sublation has also been investigated as a selective separation technique. Exploratory studies indicate that the extraction process is kinetically controlled and that time might therefore be an effective separation parameter.