Methionine Solubility via Bivalent Metal Ion Chelation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for increasing methionine solubility require high amounts of minerals or cause strong acidification, making them costly and inefficient for industrial production of high concentration methionine solutions.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the addition of bivalent metal ions and acid to a methionine-containing solution, reducing mineral usage and enhancing solubility from 35% to 50% without excessive mineral content or acidification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional mineral addition method is used to increase methionine solubility, then solubility increases to 12% (w/v), but high content of minerals (3.5 to 3.9 M) is required which increases raw material costs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemethionine solubilityVSAvoidmineral consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the pH parameter of the solution by adding acid to create a more favorable environment for methionine solubility. This parameter change allows the system to achieve high methionine concentration without requiring excessive minerals, thereby resolving the contradiction between solubility improvement and mineral consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple substances (minerals and acid) to create a composite treatment system. This composite approach leverages the synergistic effects of mineral addition and acid treatment to achieve enhanced methionine solubility while reducing the overall quantity of minerals needed compared to conventional single-method approaches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If acid treatment is used to increase methionine solubility to 18% (w/v), then solubility improves, but strong acidification of products occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemethionine solubilityVSAvoidproduct acidification
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent carefully controls the pH parameter through controlled acid addition, achieving the optimal balance between solubility enhancement and product quality. By adjusting pH to a specific range rather than extreme acidification, the method improves methionine solubility while avoiding harmful levels of product acidification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses minerals as an intermediary substance that facilitates methionine solubility enhancement while the acid acts as a controlled mediator to adjust pH. This intermediary approach allows solubility improvement without direct strong acidification of the final product, as the minerals buffer the acid's effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Quantity of substance

If high concentration of minerals is used to solubilize high concentration of DL-methionine, then solubility increases, but the cost of raw materials increases due to expensive minerals

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemethionine concentrationVSAvoidmineral content
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the pH parameter through controlled acid addition, which fundamentally alters the solubility characteristics of methionine. This parameter change enables high methionine concentration to be achieved with significantly reduced mineral content, directly addressing the contradiction between methionine concentration and mineral content.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a new chemical environment through acid treatment that copies or replicates the solubility-enhancing effects of high mineral content, but achieves the same result with minimal minerals. This allows high methionine concentration without proportional mineral increase, reducing raw material costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method effectively increases methionine solubility up to 10 times with minimal mineral use, enabling the production of high concentration methionine solutions suitable for various applications while avoiding the drawbacks of previous methods.

Implementation Method 1

the use of mineral or acid treatment is disclosed... the chelation of DL-methionine is able to increase the solubility of L-methionine by formation of a 1:1 or 1:2 chelate complex of mineral and DL-methionine

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChelation:

Implementation Method 2

acid treatment is used to increase the solubility of DL-methionine to 18% (w/v) particularly in pH 2... the method of increasing the solubility of DL-methionine by acid treatment has a problem of strong acidification of products

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectpH adjustment:

Data Source

PatentEP2402363B1Method for increasing the solubility of methionine by mineral addition and acid treatment
Publication Date: 2014.04.16 CJ CHEILJEDANG CORP
  • EP2402363B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for enhancing the solubility of methionine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for increasing the solubility of in which mineral and sulfuric acid are added at an appropriate ratio to enhance the methionine solubility, thereby overcoming the problem of low solubility of methionine in water.