This communication demonstrates that two-phase aqueous mixed (nonionic/ionic) micellar systems have the potential for improving the separation of proteins from viruses. Specifically, two separation experiments were performed to show that the addition of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to the two-phase aqueous nonionic n-decyl tetra(ethylene oxide) (C10E4) micellar system increases the yield of a model net positively charged protein, lysozyme, in the micelle-rich phase from 75 to 95%, while still maintaining approximately the same yield of a model net negatively charged virus, bacteriophage P22, in the micelle-poor phase (97% vs. 98%). (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
