Aqueous two-phase systems

Abstract

During the last 60 years, aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) have been the focus of much research. A large number of studies have been reported on the characterization of these systems and their use on separation, analytic, and biotechnological processes. On this review an overview about the ATPS fundamentals and properties is provided. Next the types of ATPS are summarized and the phase separation mechanisms discussed. A brief analysis of the most significant applications of ATPS is also provided, including nonconventional uses. Finally, a glimpse of the scaling-up, multiscale, and continuous processing is shown, and future perspectives are drawn to provide future guide for their applicability.