SHORT-FIBER CHROMATOGRAPHY COLUMNS - POTENTIAL FOR PROCESS-SCALE BIOSEPARATIONS

Chromatographic supports with short-fiber geometry have been evaluated for process-scale applications. Using a prototype silica-based ion-ex change fiber and bovine serum albumin as the model biomolecule, a comp arison of the throughput characteristics of fiber columns with those o f conventional columns (spherical packing) has been made. The comparis on accounts for the influences of pressure drop, adsorption thermodyna mics, and mass transfer. It has been shown that retention characterist ics, mass dispersion, and intraparticle mass-transfer resistance are c ritical in determining which column has a higher throughput. In genera l, if the capacity factor of the desired product is high, it is predic ted that the fiber column will give higher throughputs, except for sep arations that involve closely eluting impurities. Based on these resul ts, guidelines detailing desired properties of short-fiber chromatogra phic supports are provided.