Novel affinity separations based on perfluorocarbon emulsions. Use of a perfluorocarbon affinity emulsion for the purification of human serum albumin from blood plasma in a fluidised bed.
A perfluorocarbon affinity emulsion has been generated by homogenisation of a saturated perfluorocarbon oil with a polymeric fluorosurfactant based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (relative molecular mass 9000-10,000) previously derivatised with the triazine dye CI Reactive Blue 4. This affinity emulsion has subsequently been cross-linked in situ and used in a fluidised bed for the purification of human serum albumin (HSA) from blood plasma. HSA was quantitatively recovered in a semi-continuous fashion from plasma at an average purity of 90 +/- 3.3%. The albumin binding capacity of the emulsion has been shown to be 0.59 mg/ml by frontal analysis corresponding to a mol/mol ligand usage of 13.5%. In all regards, when used in a fluidised bed, the emulsions have been shown to behave as a normal chromatographic material. They are stable under operational conditions with no coalescence being observed for periods greater than 1 year. These novel liquid affinity supports present an exciting opportunity to develop a range of unit operations for the continuous purification of proteins.