Revolutionizing Pharmaceutical Purification with Supercritical CO₂ Chromatography 

A webinar bridging Europe and India 

In August 2025, a webinar organized with the support of the EU India Chambers of Commerce brought together leading experts to discuss an increasingly strategic innovation: the role of supercritical carbon dioxide in pharmaceutical purification. 

The event was hosted by Jean-Christian Hartemann (SFE Process, India), alongside: 

• Jérémy Lagrue, founder and CEO of SFE Process (France), a pioneer with more than 15 years of expertise in supercritical fluids, 

• Nilesh Badani, founder of Sanitech Engineers Pvt Ltd (India), a recognized expert in separation and purification technologies applied to the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. 

The purpose of the webinar was clear: to present Supercritical Fluid Chromatography (SFC) using carbon dioxide as a green, high-performance, and industrially scalable solution to today’s pharma challenges—reducing organic solvent use, improving productivity, and meeting stricter environmental regulations. 

Supercritical CO₂: a green and powerful solvent 

Carbon dioxide becomes “supercritical” when it is subjected to a temperature above 31°C and a pressure higher than 73.8 bar. In this state, it is neither a liquid nor a gas, but combines the advantages of both: 

• High diffusivity: faster separation, 

• Low viscosity: better penetration into matrices, 

• Chemical stability: no oxidation, no color, no odor, 

• Eco-friendliness: the CO₂ used is captured from industrial emissions already present in the atmosphere. 

This unique profile makes supercritical CO₂ a green solvent, able to replace a large portion of the organic solvents traditionally used in pharmaceutical purification. 

The benefits of SFC for the pharmaceutical industry 

Supercritical CO₂ chromatography provides several key benefits to manufacturers: 

• Massive reduction of organic solvents (methanol, hexane, IPA, etc.), which are costly, polluting, and hazardous. 

• Significant savings: solvents can represent up to 35% of production costs in conventional chromatography. 

• Faster and more efficient processes, with shorter cycles and better selectivity. 

• Molecular versatility: purification of both non-polar compounds (lipids, essential oils) and polar ones (peptides, polyphenols, complex APIs). 

• Integrated CO₂ recycling, reducing losses and environmental impact. 

• Compliance with international regulations (FDA, EMA) and enhanced operator safety. 

Real-world applications: from Omega-3s to Astaxanthin 

The teams at SFE Process and their partners highlighted several pilot and pre-industrial case studies: 

• Omega-3 purification (EPA, DHA, DPA): SFC properly separate EPA from DHA in a single pass, providing 70% pure EPA and 97 % pure DHA concentration using only supercritical CO₂. 

• Astaxanthin (an antioxidant derived from algae): SFC purification achieved an 80% reduction in ethanol use while maintaining high purity and selectivity, proving that the technology can both save co-solvents and improve profitability. 

• Polyphenols, alkaloïds: separation of molecules with very close structures, opening new opportunities for biopharma and nutraceutical industries. 
   

Overcoming adoption barriers 

Although the technology has been known for decades, large-scale adoption has long been held back by three main barriers: 

1. Technical challenges in scaling up (reliability, injection, recycling), 

2. Limited training and knowledge transfer among manufacturers, 

3. The need for responsive after-sales support to ensure continuous operation. 

Today, thanks to innovations such as high-pressure chromatography (up to 1,000 bar) and reliable CO₂ recycling systems, these barriers have been overcome. Pilot labs and demonstration platforms now allow companies to test the technology and train their teams before moving to full industrial deployment. 

A technology ready for industrial scale 

Supercritical CO₂ chromatography is no longer a laboratory innovation—it is now ready for industrial application. 

• Environmentally friendly, 

• More cost-effective, 

• Safer for operators and patients. 

This technology provides a concrete answer to today’s pharma challenges: combining performance, sustainability, and competitiveness. 

Conclusion 

The webinar highlighted one clear reality: the transition toward greener processes in pharma is no longer optional—it is essential. By combining eco-friendliness, efficiency, and profitability, supercritical CO₂ chromatography emerges as a key solution for the future. 

At a time when the pharmaceutical industry in India and worldwide must reduce its environmental footprint while boosting competitiveness, this technology is poised to become a game-changing innovation. It paves the way for a new generation of purification processes: cleaner, faster, and resolutely future-oriented. 

To go further, download the webinar replay and its slides by filling out the form below.