Influence of column design on process-scale ion-exchange chromatography

The performance of two new designs of pump-packed axial flow process chroma tography columns have been evaluated for the preparative anion-exchange chr omatography of hen egg-white proteins using Whatman Express-Ion Exchanger Q . A 16 l Side-Pack column and a 24 1 IsoPak column containing Express-Ion Q were used in this study. In each case ca. 20 l feedstock containing 5-7 g protein/1, was applied per litre packed bed at flow-rates of ca. 150 and 30 0 cm/h. In each case the ovalbumin binding capacity was ca. 70 g/l packed b ed with ca. 100% (w/w) recovery of applied protein. A clean-in-place proced ure involving storage in 0.5 M NaOH was effective in maintaining chromatogr aphic performance in all cases. These data were consistent with our previou s work using the more traditionally configured slurry-packed axial flow col umns. Each of these column designs were easy to use facilitating rapid pack ing with this adsorbent and in the case of IsoPak rapid pump unpacking. The introduction of these column designs significantly improves the task of co lumn packing, hitherto a labour intensive, physically demanding and potenti ally unreproducible process. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese rved.