Novel hydrophobic ligand-containing hydrogel membrane matrix: preparation and application to γ-globulins adsorption

Abstract

In this study, phenylalanine as a hydrophobic ligand was covalently attached to the co-monomer methacrylochloride. Then, poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate-co-methacrylamidophenyalanine) [poly(HEMA–MAPA)] membranes were prepared by UV-initiated photopolymerization of HEMA and methacrylamidophenyalanine. The γ-globulins adsorption onto these affinity membranes from aqueous solutions containing different amounts of γ-globulins at different pH was investigated in a batch system. The γ-globulins adsorption capacity of the membranes was increased as the ligand density on the membrane surface increase. The non-specific adsorption of the γ-globulins on the pHEMA membranes was negligible. The adsorption phenomena appeared to follow a typical Langmuir isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacity ( q m) of the poly(HEMA–MAPA4) membrane for γ-globulins was 2.37 mg g −1 dry membrane. The equilibrium constant ( k d) value was found to be 1.61×10 −1 mg ml −1. More than 87% (up to 100%) of the adsorbed γ-globulins were desorbed in 120 min in the desorption medium containing 50% ethylene glycol in 1.0 M NaCl.