ADSORPTIVE INTERACTION OF FICOLL STANDARDS WITH POROUS-GLASS SIZE-EXCLUSION CHROMATOGRAPHY COLUMNS

Ficoll, a densely branched non-ionic polysaccharide, whose hydrodynami c properties resemble those expected for compact spheres, is an intere sting material for fundamental studies of permeation in chromatographi c and porous media. Calibrating porous glass size-exclusion chromatogr aphy columns with Ficoll, we found unexpected retention of this solute in salt solution, but normal behavior in nearly pure water (0.003 M, pH 7.0 sodium phosphate buffer). These chromatographic results, along with the findings of adsorption studies and viscometric measurements, can be best explained on the basis of sodium ion binding to Ficoll and consequent adsorption of the transient pseudo-polycation thus formed.