HIGH-PERFORMANCE SEPARATIONS IN ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ALLERGENS

The present state of the use of separation techniques in the identific ation and characterization of allergens and in the monitoring of the q uality of allergenic preparations is critically surveyed. After a brie f summary of the range of problems encountered in obtaining and in the application of allergenic preparations and of the principal physicoch emical properties of allergens, chromatographic and electromigration m ethods of separation of components of these systems and their combinat ions with immunochemical procedures are discussed, with selected examp les of application to real materials. Emphasis is placed on evaluation of the most important analytical parameters, such as reliability of t he results, separation efficiency and resolution, and on the most rece nt results in the field. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.