--- title: Enhancing the sustainability of API production through distillation description: Enhancing the sustainability of API production through distillation - Siegfried image: https://content.siegfried.ch/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/01_Siegfried_Insights_Employee_18725-2048x1156.jpg --- This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. - [Careers](https://www.siegfried.ch/careers/) - [Media](https://www.siegfried.ch/media/) - [Investors](https://www.siegfried.ch/investors/) - [Contact us](https://www.siegfried.ch/contact/) [Company](https://www.siegfried.ch/company/) Company [Purpose](https://www.siegfried.ch/company/purpose/) [Strategy](https://www.siegfried.ch/company/strategy/) [Leadership](https://www.siegfried.ch/company/leadership/) [History](https://www.siegfried.ch/company/history/) [Locations](https://www.siegfried.ch/company/locations/) [Offering](https://www.siegfried.ch/offering/) Offering [Drug Substances](https://www.siegfried.ch/offering/drug-substances/) [Exclusive synthesis](https://www.siegfried.ch/offering/drug-substances/exclusive-synthesis/) [API portfolio](https://www.siegfried.ch/offering/drug-substances/api/) [Reference standards](https://www.siegfried.ch/reference-standards/) [Preclinical and early-phase development](https://content.siegfried.ch/siegfried-acceleration-hub) [Alkaloid raw materials extraction](https://extractas.com.au/) [Drug Products](https://www.siegfried.ch/offering/drug-products/) [Oral solid dosage forms](https://www.siegfried.ch/offering/drug-products/oral-solids/) [Sterile injectables](https://www.siegfried.ch/offering/drug-products/sterile-injectables/) [Ophthalmics](https://www.siegfried.ch/offering/drug-products/ophthalmics/) [Inhalation products](https://www.siegfried.ch/offering/drug-products/inhalatives/) [Viral vectors](https://dinamiqs.com/) [Technologies](https://www.siegfried.ch/technologies/) [Sustainability](https://www.siegfried.ch/sustainability/) Sustainability [People](https://www.siegfried.ch/sustainability/people/) [Environment](https://www.siegfried.ch/sustainability/environment/environment/) [Integrity](https://www.siegfried.ch/sustainability/integrity/) [Quality](https://www.siegfried.ch/sustainability/quality/) [Community engagement](https://siegfried.ch/sustainability/community-engagement/) [Risk management](https://www.siegfried.ch/sustainability/risk-management/) [Insights](https://content.siegfried.ch/insights) [![](https://content.siegfried.ch/hubfs/siegfried-logo.svg)](https://www.siegfried.ch/) What are you looking for? 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Distillation is one way we achieve our goal. Most of the APIs manufactured at Siegfried are isolated as crystalline solids and then formulated into drug products. During the reaction step, the API is dissolved in the reaction matrix and must be isolated as a crystalline product. A series of process steps are required to obtain the isolated product, typically involving extraction, distillation, crystallization and filtration. The distillation step, a common method for separating chemical compounds, is often long and thermally intensive. This can result in product degradation and yield losses. With increasing inefficiency and resource use, the sustainability of the process also decreases. To address these limitations, we can optimize the distillation step with the help of subject matter experts and computer simulations. We can also substantially reduce solvent use by selecting the right distillation equipment and conditions. Many APIs are unstable and thus unsuitable for standard distillation. Continuous distillation can be applied in these cases, as it minimizes the residence time at elevated temperatures — a few minutes compared with several hours for standard batch distillation. Therefore, we decrease product degradation and increase quality, yield and efficiency. Distillation also helps us minimize waste. For instance, water can be distilled from organic waste and transferred to a water treatment plant, reducing the amount of waste sent to incineration. Furthermore, distillation can be used to recycle organic solvents. We extensively recycle solvents with this method for our large-volume products and plan to expand it. Sustainability is one of Siegfried’s five corporate values. To improve API production’s sustainability, we continue to apply distillation for process optimization and minimizing waste. About the author by Jürgen Roos Jürgen Roos is Siegfried's former Chief Scientific Officer. Before joining Siegfried, Jürgen worked for Evonik Industries AG as Vice President for Innovation Management of the Animal Nutrition business line. Jürgen started his professional career at Evonik in 1999 as Laboratory Team Leader in chemical research in the field of fine chemicals. After various functions within the R&D organization of Evonik, including several years in Canada and the United Kingdom, he was appointed Head of Process Development in the field of exclusive synthesis in 2008, and subsequently took over the global responsibility for research and development of Evonik’s Health Care division. Jürgen studied chemistry at the University of Stuttgart and obtained a Ph.D. in organic chemistry. 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