Study of ultrafiltration of a single and binary protein solution in a thin spiral channel module

Hybrid Modeling for Simultaneous Prediction of Flux, Rejection Factor and Concentration in Two-Component Crossflow Ultrafiltration

Ultrafiltration is a powerful method used in virtually every pharmaceutical bioprocess. Depending on the process stage, the product-to-impurity ratio differs. The impact of impurities on the process depends on various factors. Solely mechanistic models are currently not sufficient to entirely describe these complex interactions. We have established two hybrid models for predicting the flux evolution, the protein rejection factor and two components’ concentration during crossflow ultrafiltration. The hybrid models were compared to the standard mechanistic modeling approach based on the stagnant film theory. The hybrid models accurately predicted the flux and concentration over a wide range of process parameters and product-to-impurity ratios based on a minimum set of training experiments. Incorporating both components into the modeling approach was essential to yielding precise results. The stagnant film model exhibited larger errors and no predictions regarding the impurity could be made, since it is based on the main product only. Further, the developed hybrid models exhibit excellent interpolation properties and enable both multi-step ahead flux predictions as well as time-resolved impurity forecasts, which is considered to be a critical quality attribute in many bioprocesses. Therefore, the developed hybrid models present the basis for next generation bioprocessing when implemented as soft sensors for real-time monitoring of processes.

Single and binary protein electroultrafiltration using poly(vinyl-alcohol)-carbon nanotube (PVA-CNT) composite membranes

Electrically conductive composite ultrafiltration membranes composed of carbon nanotubes have exhibited efficient fouling inhibition in wastewater treatment applications. In the current study, poly(vinyl-alcohol)-carbon nanotube membranes were applied to fed batch crossflow electroultrafiltration of dilute (0.1 g/L of each species) single and binary protein solutions of α-lactalbumin and hen egg-white lysozyme at pH 7.4, 4 mM ionic strength, and 1 psi. Electroultrafiltration using the poly(vinyl-alcohol)-carbon nanotube composite membranes yielded temporary enhancements in sieving for single protein filtration and in selectivity for binary protein separation compared to ultrafiltration using the unmodified PS-35 membranes. Assessment of membrane fouling based on permeate flux, zeta potential measurements, and scanning electron microscopy visualization of the conditioned membranes indicated significant resulting protein adsorption and aggregation which limited the duration of improvement during electroultrafiltration with an applied cathodic potential of -4.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). These results imply that appropriate optimization of electroultrafiltration using carbon nanotube-deposited polymeric membranes may provide substantial short-term improvements in binary protein separations.

A scale-down cross-flow filtration technology for biopharmaceuticals and the associated theory

Use of microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) in cross-flow mode has been intensifying in downstream processing for expensive biopharmaceuticals. A scale-down cross-flow module with ring channel was constructed for reducing costs and increasing throughput. Commensurate with its validation, a new scale down (or scale up) theoretical framework has been further developed to 3 operational parities: (1) ratio of initial sample volume to membrane area, (2) shear force adjacent to membrane surface, and (3) initial permeate flux. By keeping identical initial physicochemical properties, we show that these 3 operational parities are equivalent to 2 further time-dependent theoretical parities for flux and transmission respectively. Importantly, transmission sensitively reflects membrane conditions for partially transmissible molecules or particles. Computational fluid dynamics simulation was conducted to confirm nearly identical shear forces for the mini and its reference filters. Permeate fluxes in suspension containing Escherichia coli phage T7, a monoclonal antibody (MAb) or other proteins, and transmission (with phage T7) were measured. For application demonstration, diafiltration and concentration modes were applied to the MAb, and separation mode to a mixture of bovine serum albumin and lysozyme. In conclusion, the developed scale-down filter has been shown to behave identically or similarly to its reference filter.

Polyethersulfone/polyacrylonitrile blended ultrafiltration membranes: preparation, morphology and filtration properties

Polyethersulfone (PES)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membranes have been paid attention among membrane research subjects. However, very few studies are included in the literature. In our study, asymmetric ultrafiltration (UF) membranes were prepared from blends of PES/PAN with phase inversion method using water as coagulation bath. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) with Mw of 10,000 Da was used as pore former agent. N,N-dimethylformamide was used as solvent. The effects of different percentage of PVP and PES/PAN composition on morphology and water filtration properties were investigated. Membrane performances were examined using pure water and lake water filtration studies. Performances of pure water were less with the addition of PAN into the PES polymer casting solutions. However, long-term water filtration tests showed that PES/PAN blend membranes anti-fouling properties were much higher than the neat PES membranes. The contact angles of PES/PAN membranes were lower than neat PES membranes because of PAN addition in PES polymer casting solutions. Furthermore, it was found that PES/PAN blend UF membranes' dynamic mechanical analysis properties in terms of Young's modules were less than neat PES membrane because of decreasing amount of PES polymer.

Membrane-based techniques for the separation and purification of proteins: an overview

Membrane processes are increasingly reported for various applications in both upstream and downstream technology, such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, emerging processes as membrane chromatography, high performance tangential flow filtration and electrophoretic membrane contactor. Membrane-based processes are playing critical role in the field of separation/purification of biotechnological products. Membranes became an integral part of biotechnology and improvements in membrane technology are now focused on high resolution of bioproduct. In bioseparation, applications of membrane technologies include protein production/purification, protein-virus separation. This manuscript provides an overview of recent developments and published literature in membrane technology, focusing on special characteristics of the membranes and membrane-based processes that are now used for the production and purification of proteins.

Separation of proteases from yellowfin tuna spleen by ultrafiltration

Separation of protease, trypsin and chymotrypsin from yellowfin tuna spleen extract by ultrafiltration (UF) using regenerated cellulose membranes with molecular weight cut off (MWCO) 30 and 100 kDa was studied. The 100 kDa membrane had a higher transmission of enzymes than that of the 30 kDa membrane. The enzyme transmission varied from 0.01 to 0.18 and from 0.6 to 0.8 for the 30 kDa membrane and 100 kDa membrane, respectively. The protein transmission was about 0.8 for both membranes. Increasing cross-flow rate and transmembrane pressure (TMP) increased permeate flux. The limiting fluxes at cross-flow rate 120, 240 and 360 L/h for the 30 kDa membrane were 17.3, 43.9 and 54.7 L/m2h, respectively and the limiting fluxes at the same flow rate for 100 kDa membrane were 34.1, 51.1 and 68.4 L/m2h, respectively. The separation of these proteases was achieved using the 30 kDa membrane. The purities of proteases were increased more than ten times at TMP 1.5 bar and cross-flow rate 360 L/h by diafiltration using 30 kDa membrane.