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Abstract
A novel technique called ionic liquid-based three phase partitioning (ILTPP) that combines the interesting properties of ionic liquids as extracting solvents and the advantages of interfacial partitioning for protein recovery is presented in this work. The ternary system BmimBF4/NaH2PO4/H2O is used to accumulate lactoferrin (a bovine whey with important nutraceutical properties) at the liquid-liquid interface. Between 74% and 99% of the lactoferrin is recovered at the interface, depending on the temperature, the ionic liquid content, and, especially, the salt concentration. Consequently, ILTPP can be seen as a promising technique that may overcome the drawbacks of conventional techniques to recover lactoferrin.