Adsorptive membranes for bilirubin removal

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials science
• Separation science
• Affinity chromatography

Background:

• Bilirubin (BR) accumulation is a concern in certain medical conditions.
• Developing effective methods for bilirubin removal from biological fluids is crucial.
• Affinity membranes offer a potential solution for targeted molecule retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create and evaluate ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVAL) adsorptive membranes functionalized with bovine serum albumin (BSA) for bilirubin retention.
• To explore different methods for creating active binding sites on the EVAL membranes for BSA.
• To assess the performance of these EVAL-BSA membranes in both static and dynamic conditions for bilirubin removal.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of microfiltration membranes using water/(1-octanol)/DMSO/EVAL systems.
• Chemical and physical methods (plasma discharge, particle entrapment) to functionalize EVAL membranes with BSA.
• Static and dynamic testing of EVAL-BSA membranes for bilirubin removal from solutions simulating human plasma.

Main Results:

• Successful preparation of EVAL membranes with active BSA binding sites.
• Demonstrated significant bilirubin retention by the functionalized EVAL-BSA membranes.
• Achieved bilirubin retention levels relevant for human plasma applications in dynamic testing.

Conclusions:

• EVAL-BSA membranes are effective affinity supports for bilirubin removal.
• Both chemical and physical functionalization methods yield active binding sites.
• The developed membranes show potential for clinical applications in managing bilirubin levels.