Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Pharmaceutical Sciences 1735-403X 20 3 2014 12 01 Chromatographic Separation of Biomolecules Using Polymer/Surfactant Aqueous Two Phase System 77 79 EN Faiyaz Shakeel Nazrul Haq EDITORIAL 2014 11 09 The main drawbacks of 3-step tedious and cumbersome downstream processing of biomolecules includes complex procedural steps, production of excessive amount of by-products, huge amount of energy consumption and inefficient with respect to purity, yield and selectivity. In order to overcome the limitations of downstream processing, aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) have been applied as alternative, competent and environmentally benign approach (free of toxic organic solvents) for the separation and refinement of biomolecules from varying matrixes. ATPS method has the inherent properties such as versatility, highly productive, economical, better purity profile, selectivity and rapid mass transfer rates. It has achieved the position of leading technique in the last decade for separation and purification of enzymes, drugs, antioxidants, amino acids and antibiotics. These systems are usually formed by chemical entities that segregate into two different phases when mixed in specific ranges of composition and temperature e.g. by either mixing two polymers in aqueous media or by a polymer with an inorganic salt or a polymer with an organic salt