L-Phenylalanine extraction from a solid matrix

[mauro-82]

Hi everyone,

I'm working with solid-state fermentation of agricultural residues (like sugarcane bagasse) and I need to quantify the L-phenylalanine content in those residues. I'm able to set up and optimize a HPLC method to do so, but I'm not such confident with the sample preparation step. What I decided to do was a solid-liquid extraction using water as solvent and a further filtration through a 0.45um membrane. Have any of you deal with a similar matrix? The point is that with this simple extraction, some interferences seems to be present very close to the elution point for L-Phe and I'm not sure about the recovery of the process.

Any suggestion would be very helpful

Thanks,

[Don Shelly]

Purify your extract using a strong cation exchange cartridge.

Load extract at pH 7
wash cartridge with numerous solvents
dry
elute with dcm/IPA/ammonia at pH 11 - 12