| abstract |
A fluidized bed chromatographic process for purification and binding of molecules in a liquid by binding the molecules to an active substance covalently bound to chromatographic adsorbent particles in which process a fluidized bed of the adsorbent particles is formed and the liquid is passed through the fluidized bed, the improvement wherein the chromatographic adsorbent particles comprise a porous composite material having pores allowing access to the interior of the composite material by the molecules, and the porous composite material of each absorbent particle consists of a single density controlling particle which is either (a) a hollow low density particle which is impermeable to the liquid and has a density providing floatation of the adsorbent particle in the liquid or, (b) a high density particle having a density providing sedimentation of the adsorbent particle in the liquid, a matrix formed by consolidating at least one conglomerating agent selected from the group consisting of natural and synthetic organic monomers and polymers and an active substance for binding molecules in the liquid, the density controlling particle being embedded in the matrix, and the active substance being covalently bound to the matrix, the adsorbent particles having a relative density with respect to the liquid which is less than 0.95 or greater than 1.1 and a particle size within the range of 1-1000 µm, and each of the relative density and particle size range of the adsorbent particles being selected to provide desired floatation/sedimentation properties of the adsorbent particles in the liquid in the fluidized bed process with substantially no turbulence in the fluidized bed. |