Nicrofiltration membranes may be used to separate valuable proteins from suspensions constaining cells or cell debris. The most successful recovery of protein occurs when both the protein transmission and permeate flux are high. Although a clean microfitration membrane allows for complete protein transmission and high flux, both of these quantities decline with time due to membrane fouling. When solutions containing only protein are filtered, a protein laer with very low permeability forms on the membrane surface. However, the addition of cells to the solution leads to the provocative possibility of the formation of a cake laer as secondary membrane which reduces the protein fouling of the primary membrane and increases the protein recovery. This possibility was studied using bovine serum albumin (BSA), yeast, and 0.07 micron cellulose acetate membranes. The goals of the research were to understand the role of the cell cake-layer as scondary membrane and to maximize protein transmission and recovery.
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