STUDY OF THE IRREVERSIBLE ADSORPTION OF PROTEINS ON POLYBUTADIENE-COATED ZIRCONIA

The cause of irreversible adsorption of proteins on polybutadiene-coat ed zirconia is investigated by comparing the chromatographic propertie s of polybutadiene-coated zirconia with that of other reversed-phase p acking materials such as bonded phase silica, polybutadiene-coated alu mina and polybutadiene-coated silica. We find that the polybutadiene-c oated zirconia has a micropore size distribution similar to that of th e polybutadiene-coated alumina, from which some proteins can be eluted . Thus, the irreversible adsorption of proteins on polybutadiene-coate d zirconia is not caused by entrapment of proteins in the micropores o f the packing. The high hydrophobicity of the polybutadiene coating an d the strong Lewis acid sites on the zirconia surface cause strong int eractions between proteins and the stationary phase, the combination o f which lead to irreversible adsorption of proteins on polybutadiene-c oated zirconia.