Three hydrophobic charge-induction adsorbents with functional ligands of 4-mercapto-ethyl-pyridine, 2-mercapto-methyl-imidazole or 2-mercapto-benzimidazole were evaluated in the purification of porcine immunoglobulin from porcine blood. Adsorption isotherms were studied under different pH conditions. The adsorbent with 2-mercapto-methyl-imidazole as the ligand showed reasonable adsorption capacity (43.60 mg.g(-1) gel) with great selectivity and it also showed the best elution performance in chromatographic studies. A multi-pH step elution process was proposed for the 2-mercapto-methyl-imidazole adsorbent, and the results showed that high immunoglobulin purity (94.3%) and a yield of 9.8 mg.(ml plasma)(-1) could be achieved under the optimal condition of loading (pH 5.0)-pre-elution (pH 7.0)-elution (pH 3.8). Moreover, molecular simulation was employed to help in analyzing the binding mechanism between the ligands and immunoglobulin, and the results showed that both 2-mercapto-benzimidazole and 2-mercapto-methyl-imidazole ligands were docked on the same pocket (around TYR319 and LEU309) of the Fc fragment of immunoglobulin, with 2-mercaptobenzimidazole showing stronger binding interactions. (C) 2015 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press. All rights reserved.