Biopolymer extraction from plant materials
First Claim
1. A method for commercial-scale extraction of a biopolymer from a non-Hevea plant material, comprising:
- separating small leaves, flower parts and small stems from a non-Hevea plant material, wherein the plant material is guayule, using a, high capacity air density separator, wherein the small leaves, flower parts and small stems are sent to a biomass collection and reuse area;
debarking the plant material, wherein the de-barking system increases the percentage of biopolymer extracted, wherein the woody pulp derived from the de-barking system is sent to the biomass collection and reuse area;
grinding of the plant material;
milling of the plant material in a chemical solution system, the chemical solution comprising a water-based solution to emulsify the plant material to form a slurry, a buffer, an anti-microbial agent, a bleaching agent, a de-foaming agent and an antioxidant, wherein the chemical solution is maintained at a pH between 7.1 and 12.5, whereby the milling results in a milled product comprised of a solid bagasse and a liquid homogenate, wherein the liquid homogenate includes milled plant material, a buffer and water;
filtering out the solid bagasse from the liquid homogenate;
separating the liquid homogenate into a light phase and a heavy phase using a commercial centrifuge;
purifying the light phase, wherein soluble proteins are removed; and
concentrating the light phase, wherein the concentration of the light phase produces a usable biopolymer.
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for the extraction of high molecular weight biopolymers from plants. Specifically, invention described herein relates to the commercial processing of plant material, including that from desert plants native to the southwestern United States and Mexico, such as the guayule plant (Parthenium argentatum), for the extraction of biopolymers, including natural rubbers. More specifically, the invention relates to laboratory to commercial scale extraction of high molecular weight biopolymers from plant materials including the chemical and mechanical processing of the plants and purification of the extracted biopolymer.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for commercial-scale extraction of a biopolymer from a non-Hevea plant material, comprising:
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separating small leaves, flower parts and small stems from a non-Hevea plant material, wherein the plant material is guayule, using a, high capacity air density separator, wherein the small leaves, flower parts and small stems are sent to a biomass collection and reuse area; debarking the plant material, wherein the de-barking system increases the percentage of biopolymer extracted, wherein the woody pulp derived from the de-barking system is sent to the biomass collection and reuse area; grinding of the plant material; milling of the plant material in a chemical solution system, the chemical solution comprising a water-based solution to emulsify the plant material to form a slurry, a buffer, an anti-microbial agent, a bleaching agent, a de-foaming agent and an antioxidant, wherein the chemical solution is maintained at a pH between 7.1 and 12.5, whereby the milling results in a milled product comprised of a solid bagasse and a liquid homogenate, wherein the liquid homogenate includes milled plant material, a buffer and water; filtering out the solid bagasse from the liquid homogenate; separating the liquid homogenate into a light phase and a heavy phase using a commercial centrifuge; purifying the light phase, wherein soluble proteins are removed; and concentrating the light phase, wherein the concentration of the light phase produces a usable biopolymer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for commercial-scale extraction of a biopolymer from a non-Hevea plant material, comprising:
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separating small leaves, flower parts and small stems from a non-Hevea plant material using a, high capacity air density separator, wherein the small leaves, flower parts and small stems are sent to a biomass collection and reuse area; debarking the plant material, wherein the de-barking system increases the percentage of biopolymer extracted, wherein the woody pulp derived from the de-barking system is sent to the biomass collection and reuse area; grinding of the plant material; milling of the plant material in a chemical solution system, the chemical solution comprising a water-based solution to emulsify the plant material to form a slurry, a buffer, an anti-microbial agent, a bleaching agent, a de-foaming agent and an antioxidant, wherein the chemical solution is maintained at a pH between 7.1 and 2.5, whereby the milling results in a milled product comprised of a solid bagasse and a liquid homogenate, wherein the liquid homogenate includes milled plant material, a buffer and water; filtering out the solid bagasse from the liquid homogenate; separating the liquid homogenate into a light phase and a heavy phase using a commercial centrifuge; purifying the light phase, wherein soluble proteins are removed; and concentrating the light phase, wherein the concentration of the light phase produces a usable biopolymer, wherein the biopolymer is rubber latex, and wherein the rubber latex conforms to specifications of the American Society for Testing and Materials for a standard selected from the group consisting Of;
D1076-02 Standard Specification for Rubber-Concentrated, Ammonia Preserved, Creamed, and Centrifuged Natural Latex Type 1; and
D1076-02 Standard Specification for Rubber-Concentrated, Ammonia Preserved, Creamed, and Centrifuged Natural Latex Type 3. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for commercial-scale extraction of a biopolymer from a non-Hevea plant material, comprising:
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separating small leaves, flower parts and small stems from a non-Hevea plant material using a, high capacity air density separator, wherein the small leaves, flower parts and small stems are sent to a biomass collection and reuse area; debarking the plant material, wherein the de-barking system increases the percentage of biopolymer extracted, wherein the woody pulp derived from the de-barking system is sent to the biomass collection and reuse area; chopping the plant material; grinding of the plant material; milling of the plant material in a chemical solution system, the chemical solution comprising a water-based solution to emulsify the plant material to form a slurry, a buffer, an anti-microbial agent, a bleaching agent, a de-foaming agent and an antioxidant, wherein the chemical solution is maintained at a pH between 7.1 and 12.5, whereby the milling results in a milled product comprised of a solid bagasse and a liquid homogenate, wherein the liquid homogenate includes milled plant material, a buffer and water; filtering out the solid bagasse from the liquid homogenate; separating the liquid homogenate into a light phase and a heavy phase using a commercial centrifuge; purifying the light phase, wherein soluble proteins are removed; and concentrating the light phase, wherein the concentration of the light phase produces a usable biopolymer. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for commercial-scale extraction of rubber latex from guayule plant material, comprising:
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separating small leaves, flower parts and small stems from a non-Hevea plant material using a, high capacity air density separator, wherein the small leaves, flower parts and small stems are sent to a biomass collection and reuse area; debarking the plant material, wherein the de-barking system increases the percentage of biopolymer extracted, wherein the woody pulp derived from the de-barking system is sent to the biomass collection and reuse area; grinding the guayule plant material, wherein the plant material was previously chopped into relatively uniform pieces of three to six inches; milling the guayule with a chemical solution system, the chemical solution comprising a water-based solution to emulsify the plant material to form a slurry, a buffer, an anti-microbial agent, a bleaching agent, a de-foaming agent and an antioxidant, wherein the chemical solution is maintained at a pH between 7.1 and 12.5, whereby the milling results in a milled product comprised of a bagasse and a liquid homogenate, wherein the liquid homogenate includes milled guayule, the buffer and water; filtering out the bagasse from the milled product; separating the liquid homogenate into a light phase and a heavy phase using a commercial centrifuge; purifying the light phase, wherein soluble proteins are removed; and concentrating the light phase;
wherein the concentration of the light phase produces a usable biopolymer, wherein the biopolymer is rubber latex, and wherein the rubber latex conforms to specifications of the American Society for Testing and Materials for a standard selected from the group consisting of;
D1076-02 Standard Specification for Rubber-Concentrated, Ammonia Preserved, Creamed, and Centrifuged Natural Latex Type 1; and
D1076-02 Standard Specification for Rubber-Concentrated, Ammonia Preserved, Creamed, and Centrifuged Natural Latex Type 3. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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Specification