Zeolite inorganic supports for BSA immobilization: Comparative study of several zeolite crystals and composite membranes

Zeolites due to their low toxicity and high compatibility are considered new biomaterials for medical applications. The surface adsorption behaviour of zeolite crystals and composite membranes was discussed in this research. The zeolite materials were synthesized by hydrothermal syntheses using different reaction gels to modulate the Bronsted acidity of the microporous structures. Spectrophotometric analyses were used to evaluate protein adsorption on these surfaces. This study revealed that zeolite chemical composition and structure influenced the kinetics of protein adsorption. Zeolite Y surface adsorbed greater amount of BSA than the other structures. The percentage of adsorption increases with temperature and depends on the pH of the solution, being highest at the pI of the protein. The influence of the membrane configuration on the protein adsorption was studied using different zeolitc structures and crystallization types. It seems that the observed differences could depend on the type of hydrothermal crystallization inside the inorganic support. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.