Separation of lysozyme using superparamagnetic carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Materials Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Lysozyme purification is crucial for various applications.
• Conventional separation methods can be inefficient and costly.
• Development of novel magnetic carriers is needed for improved biomolecule purification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop functionalized Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles as a magnetic absorbent for lysozyme.
• To evaluate the adsorption capacity and purification efficiency of these nanoparticles.
• To assess the stability and reusability of the magnetic carrier.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CM-CTS).
• Characterization of nanoparticle morphology using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
• Lysozyme adsorption studies under varying pH, temperature, ionic strength, and concentration; purification from chicken egg white.

Main Results:

• Fe(3)O(4) (PEG+CM-CTS) nanoparticles have a diameter of approximately 15 nm.
• Maximum adsorption capacity reached 256.4 mg/g with rapid equilibrium within 20 min.
• Langmuir model accurately described lysozyme adsorption; nanoparticles showed stability over six adsorption-elution cycles.
• Single-step purification of lysozyme from chicken egg white resulted in higher purity.

Conclusions:

• Functionalized superparamagnetic nanoparticles are effective for lysozyme separation and purification.
• The developed magnetic carrier offers high efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and excellent binding capacity.
• This approach presents a promising alternative to conventional lysozyme separation techniques.