Fabrication and characterization of macroporous epichlorohydrin cross-linked alginate beads as protein adsorbent

摘要

Porous epichlorohydrin cross-linked alginate beads (ECAB) were prepared by the following method. Na-alginate solution containing Na_2SO _4 was introduced dropwise into CaCl_2 solution to simultaneously form CaSO_4 precipitate and Ca-alginate gel beads. The resultant beads were cross-linked with epichlorohydrin and then thoroughly washed with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution to remove CaSO _4. The structural features of porous ECAB were assessed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and experiments on water content and adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA). The results showed that macroporous ECAB can be obtained when the mass ratio of sodium sulfate to sodium alginate is 4:1. The adsorption behavior of the macroporous ECAB was well described by the Langmuir isotherm with maximum adsorption capacity equal to 740 mg BSA/g dry weight in 50 mM Na_2HPO_4-citric acid buffer (pH 4.0). BSA was more effectively adsorbed by macroporous ECAB at around pH 3 and the mechanism of the adsorption of BSA to the ECAB was ion exchange. Finally, experiments of a concentration of 1 mg/mL BSA using macroporous ECAB were performed.