The separation of polysaccharides is time consuming. We developed and optimized a type-J counter-current chromatography system with a novel tri-rotor spiral coil column for the rapid separation of polysaccharides. The optimal composition of an aqueous PEG1000/K2 HPO4 /KH2 PO4 system was found to be 14:16:14 w/w/w where the lower phase was the mobile phase. Optimal performance was achieved at a column rotational speed, temperature, and flow rate of 1200 rpm, 45°C, and 3.0 mL/min, respectively. The mobile phase was pumped from the inner terminal in a ''head-to-tail'' elution mode. Polysaccharide LCP-1 (10.7 mg) was successfully obtained in high purity in one step from 50.0 mg of a crude polysaccharide extracted from the lychee fruit (Litchi chinensis) within 100 min. LCP-1 possess a number-average molecular weight and weight-average molecular weight of 1.05 × 10(5) and 1.59 × 10(5) kDa, respectively. The monosaccharide composition consists of the molar ratio of glucose, galactose, and arabinose of 1.3:3.5:1.
Keywords: Aqueous two-phase systems; Counter-current chromatography; Litchi chinensis; Polysaccharides; Spiral coil column.
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