Macroporous poly(glycidyl methacrylate-triallyl isocyanurate-divinylbenzene) matrix as an anion-exchange resin for protein adsorption.

A novel macroporous poly(glycidyl methacrylate-triallyl isocyanurate-divinylbenzene) matrix was prepared by a radical suspension copolymerization. The matrix contained epoxy groups, so diethylaminohydroxypropyl groups were coupled to the matrix, leading to an anion-exchange resin. We studied the components, surface and pore structures of the anion-exchange resin by Fourier transform infared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM observations showed that the resin abounded in macropores as large as 3 to 8 microns both in the surface and the interior. The back-pressure of the column packed with the resin was modest even at a high flow-rate (60.2 cm/min). Then, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as a model protein to examine the adsorption properties of the anion-exchange resin. The results showed that under optimum conditions the resin had a capacity as high as 22.8 mg BSA/g wet resin, or 68.7 mg/g dry resin. The adsorbed protein could be desorbed by increasing the liquid phase ionic strength. Most importantly, the matrix had little nonspecific adsorption for BSA before introducing the ion-exchange groups.