Pore size distributions of cation-exchange adsorbents determined by inverse size-exclusion chromatography

The pore dimensions, pore size distributions, and phase ratios were determi ned for a set of cation-exchange adsorbents using inverse size-exclusion ch romatography (ISEC). The adsorbents examined represent a diverse set of mat erials from Pharmacia, TosoHaas, BioSepra, and EM Industries, which are wid ely used for protein purification. The ISEC was carried out using dextran s tandards with relative molecular masses of 180-6 105 000. This technique pr ovided a comparative characterization of the accessible internal pore surfa ce area, as a function of solute size, for the adsorbents tested. Adsorbent preparation strategies in which polymers are generated in situ or grafted onto base materials were found to have significant effects on pore dimensio ns and phase ratios. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.