Ultrasonic processing for recovery of chicken erythrocyte hemoglobin

•Continuous ultrasonic processing can effectively lyse chicken blood cells in 300 ms.•Flocculant activity is not degraded by exposure to ultrasound.•Electricity costs are estimated at $0.82 per 1000 L blood.

Hemoglobin from chicken blood has been shown to be a good substitute for synthetic polymeric flocculants. One stage of processing the blood entails lysis of the cells to release the hemoglobin; in the present study, the use of ultrasonic processing at this stage is investigated. Washed chicken blood cells are suspended in buffer and run continuously through a chamber attached to an ultrasonic probe. Calorimetry is used to measure acoustic power input to the liquid. Ultrasonic cell lysis is tested using chamber residence times of 75–300 ms, and the equipment's entire range of power inputs. The hemoglobin release kinetic parameters are determined and it is shown that above a particular level, increasing power input can actually result in a decreased rate constant. Ultrasonic processing can damage proteins, so reduction of hemoglobin's flocculant activity is considered. Using a sensitive assay involving suspensions of kaolin clay, no effect of ultrasonic processing on hemoglobin flocculant activity is detected. Although the conversion of electrical power to acoustic power is inefficient, the electric power required to release greater than 90% of the hemoglobin is shown to be minimal.