Integrated processes of extraction and liquid membrane isolation of atropine from Atropa belladonna roots

Selective recovery of atropine from Atropa belladonna was studied. Applying pertraction in a rotating film (RF) contactor the alkaloid was successfully recovered from model solutions of atropine, as well as from native aqueous extracts obtained from the plant roots. Diisopropyl ether as a liquid membrane and sulfuric acid as a stripping agent were used. Pertraction from native liquid extracts provided also a good atropine refinement, since the most of co-extracted from the plant species remained in the feed or membrane solution. The atropine purity content in the final dry product was about 48 times higher than in the native extract. Solid-liquid extraction of atropine from A. belladonna roots was coupled with RF-pertraction in order to purify simultaneously the extract obtained from the plant. Applying the integrated process, proposed in this study, a product, containing 87% atropine was obtained. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.