Extractive bioconversions in aqueous two-phase systems

Although extractive bioconversions in aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) have been studied for over a decade, this has not yet resulted in widespread industrial application. The main reasons are the cost of the phase-forming polymers and the complexity of ATPS behavior. A number of recent developments may give a new impetus to this technology. First of all, the use of extractive bioconversions in ATPSs has recently been extended to high-value protein products, while in the meantime the development of low-cost ATPSs is ongoing. Furthermore, novel chromatographic methods enable the analysis of polymer and metabolite compositions in complex ATPS mixtures, and recently employed statistical experimental designs provide a tool for efficient data gathering, while they also reveal synergistic effects between process parameters. Together, these developments open the way towards improved modeling of partitioning behavior in ATPSs.