DIFFUSION-MODEL OF PROTEIN ADSORPTION AND EFFECT OF PROTEIN LAYER COMPOSITION ON WATER PERMEABILITY FOR ULTRAFILTRATION MEMBRANES

The study of interrelation between kinetics of protein adsorption and flux of water through ultrafiltration membranes is of interest for und erstanding the influence of adsorption on ultrafiltration. A short mod el sketch of protein adsorption derived from complicated transport phe nomena is presented. As quantitative criterion of protein adsorption t he ratio of reversibility is proposed. This ratio describes the relati ve amount of adsorbed proteins that are reversibly arranged on the pol ymer surface. Ratio reversibility depends on chemical structure of mem branes in sequence: polysulfone < polysulfoneamide (33% amide groups) < polysulfoneamide (47% amide groups) < aromatic polyamide. It is show n that protein adsorption mainly contributes to the deterioration of t he water transport.