Photochemical modification of 10 kDa polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes for reduction of biofouling

Poly(ether sulfone) 10 kDa ultrafiltration membranes were modified by photo lysis using ultraviolet light and graft polymerization of hydrophilic monom ers onto the membrane surface to create more hydrophilic and lower fouling membrane surfaces. The modified membrane surfaces were characterized by FTI R/ATR and captive bubble contact angle measurements to determine chemical a nd hydrophilicity changes during modification. The modified membranes were compared with an unmodified poly(ether sulfone) (control) membrane as well as a commercial regenerated cellulose and a low protein adsorbing poly(ethe r sulfone) membrane using a newly developed standardized filtration protoco l with 1 wt% bovine serum albumin. The best performing modified membrane wa s with N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone and showed a 25% increase in hydrophilicity, a 49% decrease in bovine serum albumin fouling, and a 4% increase in bovin e serum albumin retention compared to the unmodified poly(ether sulfone) me mbrane. While the regenerated cellulose membrane had the lowest fouling and the low protein adsorbing membrane had the highest flux of all tested memb ranes, the N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone-modified membranes had the best combinat ion of low fouling and high flux. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.