Abstract
In the present study, a method for the separation by macroporous resins of 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) from the extracts remaining from the production of camptothecin (CPT) has been developed. The adsorption/desorption characteristics of HCPT on eight macroporous resins were compared. Of these, the X-5 resin offered the best adsorption/desorption densities for HCPT, with its adsorption data being best fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Dynamic adsorption/desorption experiments were carried out in a column packed with X-5 resin in order to optimize the separation process. The optimum parameters for adsorption were as follows: sample solution concentration = 0.3156 mg/mℓ, processing volume = 5 BV (bed volume), flow rate = 4 BV/h, temperature = 313 K, pH = 5; for desorption, the corresponding parameters were: 10–60% ethanol as eluent, processing volume = 2 BV, flow rate = 4 BV/h. After being treated with X-5 resin, the content of HCPT in the dry product increased from 0.30% to 7.19%, i.e. a 23.9-fold increase when compared to the untreated extract, with the recovery yield of HCPT being 82.1%.