Recent advances in reversed micellar techniques for bioseparation

Biocompatible systems of reversed micelles are required for the application to the preparation of food additives or medicinal substances. Use of soybean lecithin or phosphatidylcholine as a surfactant, and ethyl oleate, ethyl linoleate or ethyl caproate as a solvent gave satisfactory systems for this purpose. Oleic acid or cholesterol can be used as a cosolvent. Characterization of the micelles using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is presented. Extraction of DNA using reversed micelles of positively charged surfactants is possible. The effect of carbon number of the surfactants was studied, and distearyl quaternary ammonium chloride was most effective. Alcohol was used as a cosolvent and 1-octanol gave the best result. The circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of the extracted DNA was the same as that in an aqueous solution.