Evaluation and comparison of protein ultrafiltration test results: Dead-end stirred cell compared with a cross-flow system

Preparation of Nanoparticle-Loaded Extracellular Vesicles Using Direct Flow Filtration

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown great potential as cell-free therapeutics and biomimetic nanocarriers for drug delivery. However, the potential of EVs is limited by scalable, reproducible production and in vivo tracking after delivery. Here, we report the preparation of quercetin-iron complex nanoparticle-loaded EVs derived from a breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231br, using direct flow filtration. The morphology and size of the nanoparticle-loaded EVs were characterized using transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis of those EVs showed several protein bands in the range of 20-100 kDa. The analysis of EV protein markers by a semi-quantitative antibody array confirmed the presence of several typical EV markers, such as ALIX, TSG101, CD63, and CD81. Our EV yield quantification suggested a significant yield increase in direct flow filtration compared with ultracentrifugation. Subsequently, we compared the cellular uptake behaviors of nanoparticle-loaded EVs with free nanoparticles using MDA-MB-231br cell line. Iron staining studies indicated that free nanoparticles were taken up by cells via endocytosis and localized at a certain area within the cells while uniform iron staining across cells was observed for cells treated with nanoparticle-loaded EVs. Our studies demonstrate the feasibility of using direct flow filtration for the production of nanoparticle-loaded EVs from cancer cells. The cellular uptake studies suggested the possibility of deeper penetration of the nanocarriers because the cancer cells readily took up the quercetin-iron complex nanoparticles, and then released nanoparticle-loaded EVs, which can be further delivered to regional cells.

Modeling and assessment of the transfer effectiveness in integrated bioreactor with membrane separation

Integrating a reaction process with membrane separation allows for effective product removal, favorable shifting of the reaction equilibrium, overcoming eventual inhibitory or toxic effects of the products and has the advantage of being energy and space saving. It has found a range of applications in innovative biotechnologies, generating value-added products (exopolysaccharides, antioxidants, carboxylic acids) with high potential for separation/ concentration of thermosensitive bioactive compounds, preserving their biological activity and reducing the amount of solvents and the energy for solvent recovery. Evaluating the effectiveness of such integrated systems is based on fluid dynamics and mass transfer knowledge of flowing matter close to the membrane surface – shear deformation rates and shear stress at the membrane interface, mass transfer coefficients. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)-based approach for assessing the effectiveness of integrated stirred tank bioreactor with submerged membrane module is compiled. It is related to the hydrodynamic optimization of the selected reactor configuration in two-phase flow, as well as to the concentration profiles and analysis of the reactor conditions in terms of reaction kinetics and mass transfer.

Performance evaluation of whey flux in dead-end and cross-flow modes via convolutional neural networks

Effluent originating from cheese production puts pressure onto environment due to its high organic load. Therefore, the main objective of this work was to compare the influence of different process variables (transmembrane pressure (TMP), Reynolds number and feed pH) on whey protein recovery from synthetic and industrial cheese whey using polyethersulfone (PES 30 kDa) membrane in dead-end and cross-flow modes. Analysis on the fouling mechanistic model indicates that cake layer formation is dominant as compared to other pore blocking phenomena evaluated. Among the input variables, pH of whey protein solution has the biggest influence towards membrane flux and protein rejection performances. At pH 4, electrostatic attraction experienced by whey protein molecules prompted a decline in flux. Cross-flow filtration system exhibited a whey rejection value of 0.97 with an average flux of 69.40 L/m²h and at an experimental condition of 250 kPa and 8 for TMP and pH, respectively. The dynamic behavior of whey effluent flux was modeled using machine learning (ML) tool convolutional neural networks (CNN) and recursive one-step prediction scheme was utilized. Linear and non-linear correlation indicated that CNN model (R² - 0.99) correlated well with the dynamic flux experimental data. PES 30 kDa membrane displayed a total protein rejection coefficient of 0.96 with 55% of water recovery for the industrial cheese whey effluent. Overall, these filtration studies revealed that this dynamic whey flux data studies using the CNN modeling also has a wider scope as it can be applied in sensor tuning to monitor flux online by means of enhancing whey recovery efficiency.

Antifouling Membranes Prepared from Polyethersulfone Grafted with Poly(ethylene glycol) Methacrylate by Radiation-Induced Copolymerization in Homogeneous Solution

To synthesize evenly grafted copolymers, gamma radiation of homogeneous solutions was employed to graft poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) onto polyethersulfone (PES). The grafting was verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and the degrees of grafting (DGs) were determined by elementary analysis. The PES-g-polyPEGMA copolymers with different DGs were obtained by changing the monomer concentration. Membranes were cast from pristine PES, PES/PEG blends, and PES-g-polyPEGMA with different DGs, respectively, via nonsolvent-induced phase separation. Results from water contact angle measurements and scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that increasing DGs led to PES-g-polyPEGMA membranes with increasing hydrophilicity and porousness. Filtration experimental results showed that increasing DGs without adding pore-forming agents caused PES-g-polyPEGMA membranes with higher permeability. Compared with PES/PEG membranes with analogous permeation characteristics, in which PEG is added as a pore-forming agent, PES-g-polyPEGMA membranes exhibited superior antifouling properties.

Egg white lysozyme purification by a stirred cell contactor equipped with a weak ion-exchange nanofiber membrane: Process development and scale-up

A weak ion-exchange membrane (P-COOH) was synthesized by alkaline hydrolysis of a polyacrylonitrile nanofiber membrane prepared by electrospinning process. The P-COOH membrane was characterized for its physical properties and its application for purification of lysozyme from chicken egg white was investigated. The lysozyme adsorption efficiency of the P-COOH membrane operating in a stirred cell contactor (Millipore, Model 8010) was evaluated. The effects of key parameters such as the feed concentration, the rotating speed, the flow rate of feed and the operating pressure were studied. The results showed successful purification of lysozyme with a high recovery yield of 98% and a purification factor of 63 in a single step. The purification strategy was scaled-up to the higher feedstock loading volume of 32.7 and 70 mL using stirred cell contactors of Model 8050 and 8200, respectively. The scale-up processes achieved similar purification results, proving linear scalability of the purification technique adopted.

Recovery, overloading, and protein interactions in asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation

In asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4), similar to other separation techniques, mass recovery and overloading require special attention in order to obtain quantitative results. We conducted a systematic study with five globular proteins of different molecular weight (36.7–669 kDa) and isoelectric point (4.0–6.5), and ultrafiltration membranes that are commonly used in aqueous AF4, regenerated cellulose (RC) and polyethersulfone (PES). Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) with ionic strength 0.15 M and pH 7.2 was used as the carrier liquid in this study. The actual molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) was found to be higher than the nominal value and varied between membranes of different chemistry but the same nominal MWCO. Adsorption on the membrane was found to be dependent on the membrane chemistry (RC had lower adsorption compared to PES), and independent of the protein standard for the examined proteins. On the other hand, the mass overloading effects (i.e., higher retention times, peak broadening, and fronting peaks) were significantly more pronounced for γ-globulin than for the other proteins. The overloading effects could be rationalized with the increase of the local viscosity close to the membrane, depending on the properties of the proteins, and we derived theoretical equations that related the dependency of the migration velocity on the protein concentration through this non-ideal viscosity effect.

Investigation of surface and filtration properties of TiO2 coated ultrafiltration polyacrylonitrile membranes

In the present work, the surface and filtration properties of TiO₂ coated polyacrylonitrile ultrafiltration membranes were investigated. The membranes were coated using the physical deposition method. The appropriate TiO₂ coverage proved to be 0.3 mg/cm², which formed a hydrophilic cake layer on the membrane surface. The cleanability without chemicals and the retention of the coated membranes was compared to the neat membrane after model oily wastewater filtration. The cleaning sustained of rinsing with distilled water and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of the fouled membranes. The coated membranes have better antifouling properties; higher flux values during oily water filtration and by the mentioned cleaning process a significantly better flux recovery can be achieved. The amount of the catalyst and the irradiation time are limiting factors to the effectiveness of the cleaning process. The UV irradiation increases the wettability of the fouled membrane surface by degrading the oil layer. The coating, the continuous use, and the cleaning process do not significantly affect the membrane retention expressed in chemical oxygen demand.

Living biofouling-resistant membranes as a model for the beneficial use of engineered biofilms

Membrane systems are used increasingly for water treatment, recycling water from wastewater, during food processing, and energy production. They thus are a key technology to ensure water, energy, and food sustainability. However, biofouling, the build-up of microbes and their polymeric matrix, clogs these systems and reduces their efficiency. Realizing that a microbial film is inevitable, we engineered a beneficial biofilm that prevents membrane biofouling, limiting its own thickness by sensing the number of its cells that are present via a quorum-sensing circuit. The beneficial biofilm also prevents biofilm formation by deleterious bacteria by secreting nitric oxide, a general biofilm dispersal agent, as demonstrated by both short-term dead-end filtration and long-term cross-flow filtration tests. In addition, the beneficial biofilm was engineered to produce an epoxide hydrolase so that it efficiently removes the environmental pollutant epichlorohydrin. Thus, we have created a living biofouling-resistant membrane system that simultaneously reduces biofouling and provides a platform for biodegradation of persistent organic pollutants.

A Scalable Method toward Superhydrophilic and Underwater Superoleophobic PVDF Membranes for Effective Oil/Water Emulsion Separation

A superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic PVDF membrane (PVDFAH) has been prepared by surface-coating of a hydrogel onto the membrane surface, and its superior performance for oil/water emulsion separation has been demonstrated. The coated hydrogel was constructed by an interfacial polymerization based on the thiol-epoxy reaction of pentaerythritol tetrakis (3-mercaptopropionate) (PETMP) with diethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) and simultaneously tethered on an alkaline-treated commercial PVDF membrane surface via the thio-ene reaction. The PVDFAH membranes can be fabricated in a few minutes under mild conditions and show superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic properties for a series of organic solvents. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis shows that the hydrogel coating was efficient throughout the pore lumen. The membrane shows superior oil/water emulsion separation performance, including high water permeation, quantitative oil rejection, and robust antifouling performance in a series oil/water emulsions, including that prepared from crude oil. In addition, a 24 h Soxhlet-extraction experiment with ethanol/water solution (50:50, v/v) was conducted to test the tethered hydrogel stability. We see that the membrane maintained the water contact angle below 5°, indicating the covalent tethering stability. This technique shows great promise for scalable fabrication of membrane materials for handling practical oil emulsion purification.

PPO/PEO modified hollow fiber membranes improved sensitivity of 3D cultured hepatocytes to drug toxicity via suppressing drug adsorption on membranes

The three dimensional (3D) cell culture in polymer-based micro system has become a useful tool for in vitro drug discovery. Among those polymers, polysulfone hollow fiber membrane (PSf HFM) is commonly used to create a microenvironment for cells. However, the target drug may adsorb on the polymeric surface, and this elicits negative impacts on cell exposure due to the reduced effective drug concentration in culture medium. In order to reduce the drug adsorption, PSf membrane were modified with hydrophilic Pluronic (PEO-b-PPO-b-PEO) copolymers, L121, P123 and F127 (PEO contents increase from 10%, 30% to 70%), by physical adsorption. As a result, the hydrophilicity of HFMs increased at an order of PSf<L121<P123<F127 HFMs, while the negative surface charge decreased at the order of PSf>F127>P123>L121 HFMs. The three modified membrane all showed significant resistance to adsorption of acid/neutral drugs. More importantly, the adsorption of base drugs were largely reduced to an average value of 11% on the L121 HFM. The improved resistance to drug adsorption could be attributed to the synergy of hydrophobic/neutrally charged PPO and hydrophilic PEO. The L121 HFM was further assessed by evaluating the drug hepatotoxicity in 3D culture of hepatocytes. The base drugs, clozapine and doxorubicin, showed more sensitive hepatotoxicity on hepatocytes in L121 HFM than in PSf HFM, while the acid drug, salicylic acid, showed the similar hepatotoxicity to hepatocytes in both HFMs. Our finding suggests that PSf HFM modified by PEO-b-PPO-b-PEO copolymers can efficiently resist the drug adsorption onto polymer membrane, and consequently improve the accuracy and sensitivity of in vitro hepatotoxic drug screening.

Effect of magnetic field on the ultrafiltration of bovine serum albumin

This work evaluates the effects of a static magnetic field on the permeation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in a tangential ultrafiltration membrane module. Experimental tests were carried out at different pHs using a poly(sulfone) membrane with molecular weight cut off of 60 kDa under the influence of a 0.4 T neodymium-iron-boron magnetic field. Results showed an increase in the permeate flux of water after the cleaning procedures of the new and reused membranes in the presence of the magnetic field. The elusive mechanism of magnetic memory is also shown to take place for the water fluxes fully recovered after the cleaning procedures when the magnetic field was applied to the system before the permeation. When the magnetic field was applied during permeation, the water fluxes presented lower percent of recuperation after the cleaning procedures, thus suggesting that the BSA solution may have somewhat been influenced by magnetic memory.

Dye/water separation through supported liquid membrane extraction

The separation of synthetic dye Rhodamine 6G (R6G) and water was investigated using blended organic liquids in a supported liquid membrane (SLM) extraction system. Liquid membrane (LM) components include octyl alcohol (OcOH) as the dye extractant and a polysiloxane liquid as the stabilizing agent. Initial permeation results revealed the suitability of poly (phenyl methyl) siloxane (PPMS) over poly (octyl methyl) siloxane as the blending agent. The most acceptable condition for dye extraction was determined at feed solution pH congruent with 1, wherein highest distribution coefficient, K(D) (OcOH/H(2)O)=18, was attained. Though permeability decreased at optimal blending condition of 1:1 (w/w) OcOH/PPMS, SLM longevity was exhibited with>98% LM retention after 15 h operation in contrast to pure OcOH SLM system (>60% LM loss). Equilibrium experiments reveal that dye extraction followed Langmuir adsorption principle. The dye transport was elucidated using mass transfer analysis wherein it showed a decrease in overall coefficient (k(o)) at increasing feed concentrations. This was a direct consequence of K(D) decline, which becomes more apparent at higher concentrations when SLM saturation point is approached. At varied hydrodynamic conditions, improved k(o) values were observed up to Re(omega)=10,000 when minimal variation in film resistance is attained. Beyond this condition, k(o) becomes independent from stirring rate effect nonetheless SLM stability is compromised due to shear-induced LM losses.