Peroxide Reduction for Silver Salt Purification

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for purifying highly unsaturated fatty acid derivatives, such as those using silver complexes, face issues with silver salt deterioration due to lipid peroxides, leading to contamination, flavor deterioration, and increased production costs, especially when reutilizing silver salt solutions.

Innovation Solution

Reducing the peroxide value of highly unsaturated fatty acid ethyl esters to 1 or smaller by using a POV reducing agent, such as activated clay, to suppress silver salt deterioration and maintain the effectiveness of the silver salt aqueous solution for repeated use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If silver salt aqueous solution is used for purification of highly unsaturated fatty acid derivatives, then purification effectiveness is improved, but silver salt deteriorates due to reaction with lipid peroxides

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepurification effectivenessVSAvoidsilver salt stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by removing lipid peroxides from raw materials before the purification process. Specifically, the raw materials are treated to reduce peroxide value to 10 or smaller (preferably 5 or smaller, more preferably 1 or smaller) before contacting with silver salt aqueous solution. This preventive measure eliminates the harmful substances that would otherwise cause silver salt deterioration, allowing the purification process to proceed effectively without compromising silver salt stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If silver salt is reutilized to reduce costs, then production cost is reduced, but contamination and flavor deterioration occur due to silver salt deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction costVSAvoidproduct quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-treating raw materials to reduce peroxide value before purification. This prevents silver salt deterioration during the purification process, enabling the silver salt aqueous solution to be reutilized multiple times without contamination or flavor deterioration. The peroxide reduction step ensures that even after repeated use, the silver salt maintains its purification effectiveness and does not compromise product quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables recovery and reutilization of silver salt aqueous solution by preventing its deterioration. Through the preliminary peroxide reduction treatment, the silver salt can be recovered after each purification cycle and reused without significant loss of effectiveness. This resolves the contradiction between cost reduction through reutilization and maintaining product quality, as the silver salt can be repeatedly used without causing contamination or flavor issues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Quantity of substance

If peroxide value of raw materials is high, then more peroxides are present to cause silver nitrate deterioration, but focusing only on acid value ignores peroxide value

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperoxide contentVSAvoidproduction yield
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by specifically controlling the peroxide value parameter of raw materials. Unlike conventional methods that only monitor acid value, this invention establishes a separate criterion for peroxide value (10 or smaller, preferably 5 or smaller, more preferably 1 or smaller). This parameter control prevents excessive peroxide content from causing silver nitrate deterioration, thereby maintaining production yield and preventing unwanted side reactions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This approach enables the effective purification and production of highly unsaturated fatty acid derivatives while preventing silver salt deterioration, resulting in higher purity and yield, and reducing production costs by allowing for the reuse of silver salt solutions.

Implementation Method 1

utilizes the characteristic of highly unsaturated fatty acids and derivatives thereof that they form a complex with silver ions and become water-soluble

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectComplex formation:

Implementation Method 2

Reducing the peroxide value of highly unsaturated fatty acid ethyl esters to 1 or smaller by using a POV reducing agent

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPeroxide reduction: Reduction

Data Source

PatentEP3305755B1Novel method for producing highly unsaturated fatty acid esters
Publication Date: 2023.07.19 BIZEN CHEM

AI summary

The present invention provides a method of producing/purifying highly unsaturated fatty acids and/or derivatives thereof while suppressing deterioration of a silver salt aqueous solution, in production/purification of highly unsaturated fatty acids and/or derivatives thereof using the aqueous solution of silver salt. The present invention also contacts or mixes a mixture having a peroxide value (POV) of 10 or smaller with an aqueous solution of silver salt, in a method of purifying highly unsaturated fatty acids and/or derivatives thereof from a mixture comprising highly unsaturated fatty acids and/or derivatives thereof.