Abstract: A process for separating porphyrins, which comprises(1) adjusting the pH of the liquid phase of a culture broth containing at least two porphyrins to about 2.5 to about 4 and collecting the resulting solid containing the porphyrins,(2) either (a) preparing an acidic aqueous solution of said solid and adjusting the pH of its liquid phase left after removal of insoluble matter to about 6 to about 8 to form an aqueous solution containing the porphyrins, or (b) preparing an acid-containing lower alcohol solution of said solid, adjusting the pH of its liquid phase left after removal of insoluble matter, adding water in an amount at least twice the amount of the solution to precipitate lower alkyl esters of the porphyrins, collecting the precipitates and dissolving them in an organic solvent to form an organic solvent solution of the porphyrin esters,(3) contacting the solution obtained in (a) or (b) in step (2) with a copolymer having a surface area of at least about 700 m.sup.

Abstract: A process for separating vitamin B.sub.12 in pure form, which comprises bringing a vitamin B.sub.12 -containing liquid containing impurities into contact with a resin selected from the group consisting of (A) a divinylbenzene/styrene copolymer having a mode pore diameter of at least about 200 A and a total pore volume of more than 0.6 ml/g, and (B) a copolymer of divinylbenzene/styrene/an unsaturated alkyl ester of an aromatic polycarboxylic acid represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein R represents a C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 unsaturated alkyl moiety having a carbon-carbon double bond and n is 2 or 3, said copolymer (B) having a surface area of at least about 700 m.sup.2 /g, to cause vitamin B.sub.12 to be adsorbed to said resin, and eluting the vitamin B.sub.12 with an eluent, and collecting the active eluate.

Abstract: A process for producing uroporphyrin III, which comprises cultivating a uroporphyrin III-producing microorganism of the genus Arthrobacter in a culture medium containing a carbon source, a nitrogen source and a mineral, and recovering uroporphyrin III from the culture broth.

Abstract: A process for separating and recovering coproporphyrin and uroporphyrin from a culture broth containing them, which comprises(1) adjusting the pH of the liquid phase of a cultured broth containing coproporphyrin and uroporphyrin to a range of 2.5 to 4 to form a solid precipitate containing coproporphyrin and uroporphyrin and collecting the precipitate,(2) preparing an aqueous alkaline solution of the solid precipitate obtained in step (1), adjusting the pH of the solution to a range of more than 4 but not over 6, to form a solid precipitate containing coproporphyrin, and collecting the precipitate, and(3) adjusting the pH of the residue left after collection of the precipitate in step (2) to a range of 1 to 4 to form a solid precipitate containing uroporphyrin and collecting the precipitate.The active porphyrin components thus obtained have physiological activity in regulating various organisms of the body, such as, for example, improving the function of the liver.

Abstract: In a process for producing coproporphyrin III which comprises cultivating a coproporphyrin III-producing microorganism of the genus Arthrobacter in a culture medium containing a carbon source, a nitrogen source and a mineral and recovering coproporphyrin III from the culture broth, the improvement wherein the culture medium contains at least 0.1 g, per liter of the culture medium, of L-cystine, at leas 0.5 g, per liter of the culture medium, of Mg.sup.++, or both; and coproporphyrin III-producing microoganisms.