Characterization of biotechnological processes and products using high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). III. Quantitative analysis of organic acids in the α‐ketoglutaric acid synthesis

TLDR: In this article, a HPLC technique for the analysis of organic acids in the production of α-ketoglutaric acid was developed, which was applied and optimized for the quantitative determination of citric acid, pyruvic acid, isocitric acid and α -ketoglutsuric acid in fermentation solutions.

Abstract: A HPLC technique for the analysis of organic acids in the production of α-ketoglutaric acid was developed. The method was applied and optimized for the quantitative determination of citric acid, pyruvic acid, isocitric acid and α-ketoglutaric acid in fermentation solutions. As microorganism the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica and as substrates glucose or paraffins were used. The chromatographic separations were carried out by means of 50 and 100 × 8 mm i.d. glass columns packed with an anion-exchange resin based on an 8% cross-linked polystyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer. The relative errors ranged from 2.1% (α-ketoglutaric acid) to 5.2% (isocitric acid). The percent recovery values varied between 94.4% (isocitric acid) and 107.7% (pyruvic acid). The contents of organic acids in fermentation solutions after the microbial synthesis based on paraffins or glucose were compared.