Effect of the presence of BSA on ultrafiltration of humic acid

In the presence of BSA, higher HA rejection and lower flux were obtained during ultrafiltration. This is due to interactions between HA and BSA. A bond may be established between humic acid and protein molecules. The HA rejection depends on the molecular weight cut off (MWCO) of the membrane. Higher rejection is anticipated for membranes with lower MWCO. However cake deposition is the dominant mechanism during ultrafiltration of solutions containing mixtures of HA and BSA using XM50, YM100 and XM300 ultrafiltration membranes.

Keywords:

membrane , ultrafiltration , BSA , humic acid , mechanism