ISSN: 0256-1115 (print version) ISSN: 1975-7220 (electronic version)
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Conflict of Interest
In relation to this article, we declare that there is no conflict of interest.
Publication history
Received April 6, 2026
Accepted June 5, 2026
Available online October 26, 2026
articles This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Most Cited

Development of an Efficient Method for Removing Residual Solvents from Purified Paclitaxel by Ultrasound-Assisted Fractional Precipitation

Center for Future Sustainable Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Kongju National University,
jinhyun@kongju.ac.kr
Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, October 2026, 43(12), 3347-3361(15)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-026-00768-2

Abstract

While prior research has predominantly focused on utilizing ultrasound to accelerate the precipitation of paclitaxel, this 

study uniquely investigates the integration of ultrasonic cavitation into fractional precipitation to optimize the efficiency 

of residual solvent removal from purified paclitaxel. The underlying mechanism reveals that increasing ultrasonic power 

(0–480 W) induces significant particle size reduction, thereby enlarging the specific surface area and accelerating solvent 

elution during the subsequent drying stage. Drying kinetics followed the Page model, with the methanol/water system 

demonstrating a higher drying rate constant than the acetone/water system. While 10 min of ultrasonic irradiation was 

insufficient to meet regulatory standards, a 20-min treatment successfully reduced residual solvents to within ICH Q3C 

guidelines (acetone<5,000 ppm; methanol<3,000 ppm) under optimized conditions (480 W for methanol; 380–480 W 

for acetone). These results validate ultrasonic cavitation as a high-efficiency auxiliary process specifically for rigorous 

solvent elimination, offering a quantitative basis for enhancing energy efficiency and reducing costs in large-scale paclitaxel

production.

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