Jmo. Dezarate et al., CONCENTRATION OF BOVINE SERUM-ALBUMIN AQUEOUS-SOLUTIONS BY MEMBRANE DISTILLATION, Separation science and technology, 33(3), 1998, pp. 283-296
The use of membrane distillation in the concentration of protein solut
ions is proposed. Semidilute BSA solutions (concentrations ranging bet
ween 0.40 and 1.00%), at pH 7.4 were employed. Transmembrane volume fl
uxes and evolution of the BSA concentration were measured at different
conditions. Temperatures ranged between 20 and 38 degrees C. The filt
ration cell was operated at laminar regime with tangential velocities
of 5.9 and 8.9 cm.s(-1). Special attention was devoted to analysis of
the temperature polarization and fouling effects. The results obtained
show that fouling effects are practically absent in membrane distilla
tion operations with BSA solutions, at least for concentrations up to
1.00% w/w and in the range of crossflow velocities employed. This may
be due to the fact that the transmembrane fluxes are below the value o
f the critical flux for fouling.