Analysis of Protein Adsorption to Ion Exchangers in a Finite Bath

Bovine serum albumin was used as a model for the study of protein adsorption. The effect of initial protein concentration on the nature of adsorption was examined by both finite bath experiments and computer simulations using 4 different rate models. Some equilibrium models were found to underestimate the adsorption parameters, the reaction rate constant and the effective pore diffusivity, as these models assumed that a single mechanism was governing the overall rate of adsorption. The adsorption process should be considered as a series of steps. In terms of interpretation of the experimental data, the most useful model is that which incorporates the mass transfer resistance, the diffusional restrictions of the protein into the interior of the adsorbent particles, and the interaction rate constant, into the overall adsorption mechanism.