Modelling of the flow-through dye-ligand affinity membrane process using bovine serum albumin as the model protein.

This paper presents the application of a mathematical model for the prediction of the performance of a dye-ligand affinity membrane. Cibacron Blue F3G-A was utilised as the capturing ligand and bovine serum albumin as the target molecule. The dye molecules were immobilised covalently via spacer molecules (polyethlenimine) onto the pores of a microfiltration membrane with a pore size rating of 0.45 micron. Performance analysis of the affinity membranes was achieved by studying the resulting breakthrough curves, when BSA solutions were passed through the system. In the mathematical model, phenomena such as convection, axial dispersion, and adsorption rate of adsorbate were incorporated so that a clearer interpretation of the experimental data could be obtained. Numerical analysis was used to solve the governing partial differential equations.