Comparison of albumin binding capacities of three different reactive dye-derivatized poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) microbeads

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption onto dye-derivatized poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [poly(EGDMA-HEMA)] microbeads carrying three different reactive dye ligands (i.e. Congo Red, Cibacron Blue F3GA, and Alkali Blue 6B) was investigated. Swellable poly(EGDMA-HEMA) microbeads, in the size range of 150-200 mu m, were produced by a modified suspension copolymerization of EGDMA and HEMA. The dyes were covalently attached to the microbeads. The maximum amounts of dye loadings were 14.5, 16.5, and 23.7 mu mol g(-1) for Congo Red, Cibacron Blue F3GA, and Alkali Blue 6B, respectively. The maximum BSA adsorption on the dye-derivatized microbeads from aqueous solutions containing different amounts of BSA were 90, 60.5, and 40 mg g(-1) for the Congo Red, Cibacron Blue F3GA, and Alkali Blue 6B carrying microbeads, respectively. The maximum BSA adsorptions were observed at pH 6.0 in all cases. Desorption of albumin molecules were achieved by using 1.0 M NaSCN (pH 8.0). High desorption ratios (more than 85% of the adsorbed BSA) were observed in all cases. It was possible to reuse these novel sorbents without significant losses in the adsorption capacities.