Determination of protein adsorption by comparative drop and bubble profile analysis tensiometry

Abstract

Proteins adsorb at a liquid interface at very low bulk concentrations which is significantly decreased due to the adsorbed amount. Depending on the surface area A to solution bulk volume V ratio this loss in protein can be significant. Using experimental methods with large differences in the A/ V ratio the adsorbed amount can be determined from the measured quantities, for example the surface tension. For β-casein and bovine and human serum albumin data from literature obtained by the Wilhelmy technique and own data measured by drop profile analysis tensiometry are used. The adsorbed amounts measured directly from ellipsometry agree very well with those determined by the proposed method.