Evaluation of Functionalized Polyurethane Foams as Chromatographic Adsorbents

MIRNA LORENA SANCHEZ; MARIANO GRASSELLI; MARCELO FERNANDEZ LAHORE

Santa Fe

Simposio; 3º Simposio Argentino de Procesos Biotecnológicos (SAPROBIO 2014); 2014

Universidad Nacional del Litoral

We have synthesized cation-exchange chromatographic adsorbents consisting of hydrogel layers supported on porous, opened, and reticulated polyurethane foams. Preliminary studies showed that the adsorptive properties of these materials allow reversible binding of proteins by ion-exchange mechanisms. Bed hydrodynamics were studied via residence time distribution analysis using the mathematical PDE model. It allows the calculation of Péclet numbers (Pe), fraction of correctly perfused bed (φ), and a mass transfer term between stagnant and non-stagnant zone (N). The correlation between bed stability and performance was analyzed via the breakthrough curve of a model protein (HEWL) on the cation-exchanger matrix. Hydrodynamic and adsorptive properties were determined as a function column length, matrix density and flow velocity.