Preparation and evaluation of pepsin affinity organic polymer capillary monolithic column

Abstract

The protein modified monolithic column in affinity capillary electrochromatography (CEC) has attracted considerable attention over the past decades because of its great enantioseparation ability. A porous polymethacrylate ester-based capillary monolithic column poly (glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) (poly (GMA-co-EDMA)) was prepared by in situ co-polymerization. The process was initiated thermally by azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN). The polymerization mixture contained GMA as the function monomer and EDMA as the crosslinking agent with 1,4-butanediol and 1-propanol as the binary porogen solvent. Under the optimized reaction conditions, including the proportion of monomer and porogens, reaction temperature etc, the column exhibited a uniform structure, sufficient permeability and excel- lent pressure resistance. The separation of alkyl benzenes on the column was mainly based on typical reversed-phase chromatographic retention mechanism. The reproducibility and stability were good with RSDs less than 9. 0%. A pepsin functionalized organic polymer monolith was prepared by covalently bonded pepsin to poly(GMA-co-EDMA) monolith with glutaraldehyde as a spacer based on the activity of epoxide group. The enantioseparation performance of the pepsin affinity monolith for basic enantiomers has been investigated by CEC. Nefopam, amlodipine, citalopram and chlorpheniramine were resolved, and baseline separations of nefopam, amlodipine, citalopram were achieved. The influences of pH, operating voltage, temperature and sample quantity used on the chiral separation were studied. The chiral recognition mechanism of enantiomers on the monolithic column in CEC is discussed. This work developed a new method for the prepataion and application of protein affinity monolith in CEC.