Effect of fatty acids and pH on the binding of BSA to silica and polystyrene.

Abstract

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) is a frequently used blocking agent for in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) applications. Fatty acid stabilized (FAS) and fatty acid free (FAF) BSA are the common grades of BSA commercially offered for blocking. It is known that both fatty acid presence and pH influence the conformation of BSA. Previous adsorption studies have examined the effect of fatty acids or pH on BSA blocking, but little data is available for how these factors together impact function. In this study, we used Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D) to further understand of how pH and fatty acids impact BSA adsorption to IVD relevant surfaces.