화학공학소재연구정보센터
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol.224, No.1, 76-83, 2000
Adsorption of water-soluble proteins onto bubbles in continuous foam separation
The mechanism of water-soluble protein enrichment in continuous foam separation was studied. The liquid flow rate and the protein concentration in the foam phase were measured at various heights from the interface between the bulk liquid and foam layer, and the intrinsic values at the interface were estimated by the extrapolation method to determine the accurate adsorption density on the bubble surface, Ovalbumin (OA) and hemoglobin (HB) were used as the soluble proteins. The solution pH values were varied from 3.5 to 6.0 for OA and from 6.0 to 8.0 for HE. The experimental isotherms for OA and HE were compared to the Langmuir isotherm, and the two adsorption parameters of the equilibrium constant, K, and the saturated density, gamma, at each pH were determined. Both gamma values obtained for OA and HE showed maxima at their isoelectric point (pH 4.6 for OA and pH 6.8 for HB). Assuming that OA and HE molecules are spherical in shape and are adsorbed on the bubble surface in a close-packed structure at saturation, the calculated diameters for OA and HE molecules were quite similar to the literature values. The variation in gamma for both OA and HE is discussed qualitatively in relation to the net charge of the protein molecule.