COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF REACTION-KINETICS IN MEMBRANE AND AGAROSE BEAD AFFINITY SYSTEMS

Compared to conventional agarose bead affinity supports, a microporous nylon membrane exhibits greatly improved reaction kinetics as quantified in the reaction between γ-globulin and immobilised protein A. The improvement is only observed when the solution of γ-globulin is forced through the membrane pores. In the absence of flow in the pores, it is possible to relate approximately the rate of uptake onto either type of affinity support to independently determined diffusion coefficients. In the presence of flow, the reaction rate is similar for membranes having 0.45 and 3.0 μm diameter pores, and considerably smaller than predicted by the Smoluchowski formula. © 1990.