Lysozyme separation by hollow-fibre ultrafiltration

This paper discusses the purification of lysozyme from chicken egg white us ing hollow-fibre ultrafiltration (30 kDa MWCO, polysulphone membrane). Lyso zyme is preferentially transmitted through the membrane while the membrane largely retains other egg white proteins. Improvement in system hydrodynami cs resulted in an increase in permeate flux while lysozyme transmission rem ained unaffected, leading to higher productivity. The percentage purity of lysozyme obtained was generally insensitive to system hydrodynamics. The pe rmeate flux and productivity increased with increase in transmembrane press ure (TMP) before levelling off around 0.7 bar. However, the TMP did not hav e any pronounced effect on the transmission and the purity of lysozyme. Exp eriments carried out in the diafiltration mode showed that moderately pure lysozyme (80-90%) could be obtained in an extended operation. (C) 2000 Publ ished by Elsevier Science S.A.