Removal of proteinaceous soils using hydroxyl radicals generated by the electrolysis of hydrogen peroxide

We have developed here for the first time a novel method to generate hydroxyl radicals, *OH, by applying slightly negative electric potentials (-0.2--0.8 V vs Ag/AgCl) to the surface of a metal (or metal oxide) that is in contact with hydrogen peroxide solution containing a supporting electrolyte. Namely, *OH radicals were generated at the surface by the electrolysis of hydrogen peroxide according to the equation, H2O2+e- --> *OH+OH-. This method was used to clean a stainless steel fouled with a model protein, beta-lactoglobulin. The *OHs generated at the surface were effective in removing beta-lactoglobulin that had been irreversibly adsorbed, by several minutes of treatment at room temperature (22+/-2 degrees C). The removal rates measured for various concentrations of H2O2 and supporting electrolyte and different potentials were determined exclusively by the electric current.     

Probing defect sites on TiO2 with [Re3(CO)12H3]: spectroscopic characterization of the surface species

Samples of the anatase phase of titania were treated under vacuum to create Ti(3+) surface-defect sites and surface O(-) and O(2) (-) species (indicated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra), accompanied by the disappearance of bridging surface OH groups and the formation of terminal Ti(3+)-OH groups (indicated by IR spectra). EPR spectra showed that the probe molecule [Re(3)(CO)(12)H(3)] reacted preferentially with the Ti(3+) sites, forming Ti(4+) sites with OH groups as the [Re(3)(CO)(12)H(3)] was adsorbed. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra showed that these clusters were deprotonated upon adsorption, with the triangular metal frame remaining intact; EPR spectra demonstrated the simultaneous removal of surface O(-) and O(2) (-) species. The data determined by the three complementary techniques form the basis of a schematic representation of the surface chemistry. According to this picture, during evacuation at 773 K, defect sites are formed on hydroxylated titania as a bridging OH group is removed, forming two neighboring Ti(3+) sites, or, when a Ti(4+)-O bond is cleaved, forming a Ti(3+) site and an O(-) species, with the Ti(4+)-OH group being converted into a Ti(3+)-OH group. When the probe molecule [Re(3)(CO)(12)H(3)] is adsorbed on a titania surface with Ti(3+) defect sites, it reacts preferentially with these sites, becoming deprotonated, removing most of the oxygen radicals, and healing the defect sites.     

Formation characteristics of calcium phosphate deposits on a metal surface by H2O2-electrolysis reaction under various conditions

The cathodic electrolysis of H₂O₂ (H₂O₂ + e⁻ → OH⁻ + OH) on a metal surface in the presence of calcium and phosphate ions results in the formation of calcium phosphate deposits on the metal surface. In this study, the deposits formed under various treatment conditions (pHs, concentrations and ratios of calcium/phosphate ions, and so on) were characterized by scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffractometry. The exclusive formation of hydroxyapatite, HAP, was observed under comparatively narrow conditions (pH 3–4, [Ca+]/[PO₄³⁻] = 25 mM/15 mM), which is clearly different from the reported conditions for the deposition of HAP on titanium substrates. HAP was deposited in the form of a layer, comprised of morphologically amorphous HAP flakes that were less than 20 nm thick. SEM and FTIR analyses of the deposit at different stages of H₂O₂-electrolysis revealed that a few dozen nanometer-sized spheres of amorphous calcium phosphate were formed in the first step and then fused with each other to form ribbon-like flakes of HAP or broken glass-like brushite, depending on the pH. The pH for HAP formation on a stainless steel surface was markedly lower than that used for titanium, and the observed process by which amorphous calcium phosphate is converted to HAP was markedly different from that for the electrochemical deposition (electrolysis of water) of HAP on a titanium substrate.     

Simultaneous removal of ammonium and phosphate by zeolite synthesized from fly ash as influenced by salt treatment

To develop an effective technique for enhancing the removal efficiency of ammonium and phosphate at low concentrations without losing potential removal capacity, Na-ZFA (zeolite synthesized from fly ash) was converted into Ca-, Mg-, Al-, and Fe-ZFA by salt treatment and the simultaneous removal of ammonium and phosphate by ZFA saturated with different cations was investigated. It was shown that Al3+-ZFA had the highest removal efficiencies (80-98%) for ammonium, followed by Mg2+ (43-58%), Ca2+ (40-54%), Na+ (<20%), and Fe3+ (<1%). Both alkaline pH values (in the cases of Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+) and acidic pH value (in the case of Fe3+) inhibited the sequestration of ammonium. At low initial phosphate concentrations, the efficiency of phosphate removal by Al3+- and Fe3+-ZFA approached 100%, followed by Ca2+ (60-85%), Na+ (<25%), and Mg2+ (<5%). The difference in phosphate removal efficiency was explained by the adsorption mechanisms. It was concluded that ZFA could be used in simultaneous removal of NH4+ and phosphate at low concentrations with presaturation by an appropriate cation such as Al3+ through salt treatment.     

Rate enhancing effect of bromide on the removal of ammonia at Ti/PbO2 anode

Electrochemical oxidation of ammonium (NH4+) at Ti/PbO2 anode in chloride-free and chloride containing aqueous solutions was studied. The experimental results have shown that oxidation of NH4- is ensured only in the presence of chloride. The oxidation of NH4+ is found to follow pseudo first-order kinetics. Bromide in the electrolyte is found to cause substantial rate enhancing effect on the ammonium removal. The dependence of k on the current density as well as halide concentration is also discussed in this study.     

Detergent-Induced Removal of β-Lactoglobulin from Stainless Steel Surfaces as Influenced by Surface Pretreatment

The adsorption of β-lactoglobulin to stainless steel and its subsequent removal were followed using in situ null ellipsometry. The influence of the surface pretreatment on the protein removal by the surfactant SDS and by sodium hydroxide was studied. All surfaces were precleaned in strongly alkaline solution. Some surfaces received no further pretreatment, while others were either passivated in nitric acid or plasma-cleaned prior to experiments. Stainless steel surfaces subjected to different surface pretreatments showed considerable differences in cleaning behavior. Cleaning, using NaOH, of surfaces which had been precleaned with alkali only or with plasma resulted in practically complete β-lactoglobulin removal. In contrast, appreciable amounts of protein remained on passivated stainless steel. Protein removal by SDS was limited and comparable for all three surface pretreatments investigated. Only minor effects on the protein adsorption tendency were observed. The amounts of β-lactoglobulin adsorbed tended to be somewhat lower on the passivated surfaces.     

金属离子掺杂二氧化钛及水体光催化脱氮研究

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备了掺杂Ce³⁺、La³⁺、Ag⁺、Fe³⁺的TiO₂光催化剂,以考察其薄膜和粉体形式对水中无机氮的光催化去除效果和活性.用所制备的催化剂对含氨氮-亚硝酸氮的混合液进行了光催化脱氮研究.本文利用UV-Vis吸收光谱、XRD和TEM对催化剂进行了表征.同时,对影响TiO₂光催化效率的因素:如掺杂金属离子的种类、浓度、涂膜层数、反应液中有无Fe²⁺、不锈钢和玻璃载体、反应器的构型等进行了探讨,并对今后的研究进行展望.经过2 h紫外光照射反应,实验最佳脱氮效果:金属离子掺杂TiO₂薄膜型催化剂总氮去除率在30%左右,金属离子掺杂粉末型催化剂光催化最高总氮去除率可达41.7%.     

纳米TiO2表面对Cd2+的吸附与光化学还原过程的QCM研究

用石英晶体微天平(QCM)现场技术研究了Cd2+在纳米TiO2表面的吸附与光化学还原过程.研究结果表明,Cd2+在纳米TiO2表面的吸附量受溶液的浓度、pH值和不同添加物的影响.当pH<7时, Cd2+不发生吸附;pH＝7时,Cd2+在TiO2膜上的吸附量接近于15.2 mg/g.在紫外光光照下, Cd2+不发生光化学反应,但在溶液中加入NO-3和HCO-2后, Cd2+在电极表面可发生光化学反应,分别生成了CdO·Cd(OH)2和Cd.当醇类物质加入后, QCM的频率略有下降, 但没有观察到单质Cd的生成.     

Protein-associated water and secondary structure effect removal of blood proteins from metallic substrates

Removing adsorbed protein from metals has significant health and industrial consequences. There are numerous protein-adsorption studies using model self-assembled monolayers or polymeric substrates but hardly any high-resolution measurements of adsorption and removal of proteins on industrially relevant transition metals. Surgeons and ship owners desire clean metal surfaces to reduce transmission of disease via surgical instruments and minimize surface fouling (to reduce friction and corrosion), respectively. A major finding of this work is that, besides hydrophobic interaction adhesion energy, water content in an adsorbed protein layer and secondary structure of proteins determined the access and hence ability to remove adsorbed proteins from metal surfaces with a strong alkaline-surfactant solution (NaOH and 5 mg/mL SDS in PBS at pH 11). This is demonstrated with three blood proteins (bovine serum albumin, immunoglobulin, and fibrinogen) and four transition metal substrates and stainless steel (platinum (Pt), gold (Au), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), and 316 grade stainless steel (SS)). All the metallic substrates were checked for chemical contaminations like carbon and sulfur and were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). While Pt and Au surfaces were oxide-free (fairly inert elements), W, Ti, and SS substrates were associated with native oxide. Difference measurements between a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPR) provided a measure of the water content in the protein-adsorbed layers. Hydrophobic adhesion forces, obtained with atomic force microscopy, between the proteins and the metals correlated with the amount of the adsorbed protein-water complex. Thus, the amount of protein adsorbed decreased with Pt, Au, W, Ti and SS, in this order. Neither sessile contact angle nor surface roughness of the metal substrates was useful as predictors here. All three globular proteins behaved similarly on addition of the alkaline-surfactant cleaning solution, in that platinum and gold exhibited an increase, while tungsten, titanium, and stainless steel showed a decrease in weight. According to dissipation measurements with the QCM-D, the adsorbed layer for platinum and gold was rigid, while that for the tungsten, titanium, and stainless steel was much more flexible. The removal efficiency of adsorbed-protein by alkaline solution of SDS depended on the water content of the adsorbed layers for W, Ti, and SS, while for Pt and Au, it depended on secondary structural content. When protein adsorption was high (Pt, Au), protein-protein interactions and protein-surface interactions were dominant and the removal of protein layers was limited. Water content of the adsorbed protein layer was the determining factor for how efficiently the layer was removed by alkaline SDS when protein adsorption was low. Hence, protein-protein and protein-surface interactions were minimal and protein structure was less perturbed in comparison with those for high protein adsorption. Secondary structural content determined the efficient removal of adsorbed protein for high adsorbed amount.     

Adsorption on stainless steel surfaces of biosurfactants produced by gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria: Consequence on the bioadhesive behavior of Listeria monocytogenes

The ability of adsorbed biosurfactants (Pf and Lb) obtained from gram-negative bacterium (Pseudomonas fluorescens) or gram-positive bacterium (Lactobacillus helveticus) to inhibit adhesion of four listerial strains to stainless steel was investigated. These metallic surfaces were characterized using the following complementary analytical techniques: contact-angle measurements (CAM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), polarization modulation-infrared reflection-adsorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Contact-angles with polar liquids (water and formamide) indicated that the stainless steel surface covered with adsorbed biosurfactant was more hydrophilic and electron-donating than bare stainless steel. The surface characterization by XPS and PM-IRRAS revealed that conditioning the stainless steel changes the substrate in two ways, by modifying the surface alloy composition and by leaving an thin adsorbed organic layer. AFM observations enabled to say that the layer covered entirely the surface and was probably thicker (with patches) in the case of Pf-conditioned surfaces compared to the Lb-conditioned ones, which seemed to be less homogeneous. Though the added layer was thin, significant chemical changes were observed that can account for drastic modifications in the surface adhesive properties. As a matter of fact, adhesion tests showed that both used biosurfactants were effective by decreasing strongly the level of contamination of stainless steel surfaces by the four strains of Listeria monocytogenes. The more important decrease concerned the CIP104794 and CIP103573 strains (>99.7%) on surface conditioned by L. helveticus biosurfactant. A less reduced phenomenon (75.2%) for the CIP103574 strain on stainless steel with absorbed biosurfactant from P. fluorescens was observed. Whatever the strain of L. monocytogenes and the biosurfactant used, this antiadhesive biologic coating reduced both total adhering flora and viable and cultivable adherent bacteria on stainless steel surfaces. This study confirms that biosurfactants constitute an effective strategy to prevent microbial colonization of metallic surfaces by pathogenic bacteria like the food-borne pathogen L. monocytogenes.     

Reactivity of the "yl"-bond in uranyl(VI) complexes. 1. Rates and mechanisms for the exchange between the trans-dioxo oxygen atoms in (UO2)2(OH)2 2+ and mononuclear UO2(OH)n 2-n complexes with solvent water

The stoichiometric mechanism, rate constant, and activation parameters for the exchange of the "yl"-oxygen atoms in the dioxo uranium(VI) ion with solvent water have been studied using 17O NMR spectroscopy. The experimental rate equation, (-->)v= k(2obs)[UO2(2+)]tot2/[H+]2, is consistent with a mechanism where the first step is a rapid equilibrium 2U(17)O2(2+) + 2H2O<==>(U(17)O2)2(OH)2(2+) + 2H+, followed by the rate-determining step (U(17)O2)2(OH)2(2+) + H2O<==>(UO2)2*(OH)2(2+) + H2(17)O, where the back reaction can be neglected because the (17)O enrichment in the water is much lower than in the uranyl ion. This mechanism results in the following rate equation (-->)v= d[(UO2)2(OH)2(2+)]/dt = k(2,2)[(UO2)2(OH)2(2+)] = k(2,2*)beta(2,2)[UO2(2+)]2/[H + ]2; with k(2,2) = (1.88 +/- 0.22) x 10(4) h(-1), corresponding to a half-life of 0.13 s, and the activation parameters DeltaH++ = 119 +/- 13 kJ mol-1 and DeltaS++ = 81 +/- 44 J mol(-1) K(-1). *Beta(2,)2 is the equilibrium constant for the reaction 2UO2(2+) + 2H2O<==>(UO2)2(OH)2(2+) + 2H+. The experimental data show that there is no measurable exchange of the "yl"-oxygen in UO2(2+), UO2(OH)+, and UO2(OH)4(2-)/ UO2(OH)5(3-), indicating that "yl"-exchange only takes place in polynuclear hydroxide complexes. There is no "yl"-exchange in the ternary complex (UO2)2(mu-OH)2(F)2(oxalate)2(4-), indicating that it is also necessary to have coordinated water in the first coordination sphere of the binuclear complex, for exchange to take place. The very large increase in lability of the "yl"-bonds in (UO2)2(OH)2(2+) as compared to those of the other species is presumably a result of proton transfer from coordinated water to the "yl"-oxygen, followed by a rapid exchange of the resulting OH group with the water solvent. "Yl"-exchange through photochemical mediation is well-known for the uranyl(VI) aquo ion. We noted that there was no photochemical exchange in UO2(CO3)3(4-), whereas there was a slow exchange or photo reduction in the UO2(OH)4(2-) / UO2(OH)5(3-) system that eventually led to the appearance of a black precipitate, presumably UO2.     

Adsorption behavior of methylene blue and its congeners on a stainless steel surface

Methylene blue and its congeners as model dyes were adsorbed onto stainless steel particles at different ionic strengths, pH values, and ethanol contents, and the adsorption mechanism was investigated. A Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of the dyes adsorbed on the stainless steel plate was carried out to determine the orientations of the adsorbed dyes on stainless steel surface. The adsorption isotherms for all the dyes tested were approximated by a Langmuir equation (Q=Kq(m)C/(1+KC)) in most cases except under strongly basic conditions. From the ionic strength and ethanol content dependencies of the K value in the Langmuir equations, both the electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions were indicated to contribute to the adsorption of the dyes at neutral pH. By comparing the K and q(m) values for the methylene blue congeners and with the aid of the FTIR analyses, it was found that the kind of substituent groups at most positions of the polyheterocycles of methylene blue strongly affects the adsorption behavior, particularly the area occupied by an adsorbed dye molecule, the affinity for the stainless steel surface, and the orientation of the adsorbed dye molecule on the stainless steel surface.     

Effects of carboxyl groups on the adsorption behavior of low-molecular-weight substances on a stainless steel surface

The adsorption isotherms of various carboxylic acids and several amines on a stainless steel surface were taken as a function of pH and the ionic strength of the solution at 30 degrees C. In particular, the effect of the number of carboxyl groups on the adsorption behavior was investigated. Monocarboxylic acids such as benzoic acid and n-butyric acid were reversibly adsorbed on the stainless steel particles and showed a Langmuir-type adsorption isotherm, i.e., Q=KqmC/(1+KC), where Q and C are, respectively, the amount of adsorbate adsorbed and the equilibrium concentration in the bulk solution, qm, the maximum adsorbed amount, and K is the adsorption equilibrium constant. Carboxylic acids having plural carboxyl groups had much higher affinity to the surface and were adsorbed in both reversible and irreversible modes. The adsorption isotherms for the carboxylic acids having plural carboxyl groups could be expressed by a modified Langmuir-type adsorption isotherm, i.e., Q=q(irrev)+Kq(rev)C/(1+KC), where q(irrev) and q(rev) are, respectively, the maximum amounts adsorbed irreversibly and reversibly. The K and q(irrev) values increased with an increase in the number of carboxyl groups except for isophthalic acid and terephthalic acid. On the basis of the pH dependencies of K, qm, q(irrev), and q(rev) as well as the surface properties of the stainless steel, both reversible and irreversible adsorptions were considered to occur through the electrostatic interaction between negatively charged carboxyl groups and the positively charged sites on the surface. The dependency of the q(irrev) value on ionic strength was discussed on the basis of the differences in their adsorbed state with the interaction forces to the surface and repulsive forces among the adsorbed molecules. The adsorption of amine components was quite weak. The RA-IR and molecular dynamics calculation were done to investigate the adsorption states of phthalic acid, trimellitic acid, and mellitic acid.     

电气石粉对制备纳米TiO2及光催化氧化甲苯气相污染物的影响

用浸渍、烧结方法制备了不锈钢网(3×15cm)负载催化剂:由溶胶-凝胶法制备含(400目)电气石粉的二氧化钛催化剂,并与直接混合电气石粉、P-25 TiO₂的复合负载催化剂进行对照;利用X射线衍射、扫描电镜、透射电镜等表征催化剂结构;研究了催化剂在反应器(14L)中由20W紫外杀菌灯照射下光催化氧化去除气相甲苯污染物的效果.结果表明,在制溶胶过程中添加微米级电气石粉,得到催化剂粒径较小,其负载量和催化活性均有提高,平均催化比活性达到1.90mg·m^-2·min^-1或0.11mg·g^-1·min^-1,该催化剂在静态条件下反应4h,对初始浓度为180mg·m^-3和70mg·m^-3的甲苯去除率分别达到87%和82%;而同样的高初始浓度下,负载P-25仅可去除21%甲苯,复合负载P-25、电气石可去除58%甲苯,其催化比活性达到1.35mg·m^-2·min^-1或0.18mg·g^-1·min^-1.     

Electrocatalytic oxidation of NADH at the self-assembled monolayer of nickel(II) macrocycle on gold electrode

Electroactive self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of macrocyclic Ni(II) complex (1) were fabricated on gold electrode and its electrochemistry has been studied in different supporting electrolytes. Substantial stabilization of tervalent nickel and a significant negative shift of formal potential of the Ni(3+/2+) couple have been observed when the supporting electrolyte is changed from nitrate to phosphate. Coordination of supporting electrolyte anion with the Ni(III) complex shifts the formal potential and thus tervalent nickel is stabilized. SAM of 1 electrode shows an excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of NADH in aqueous NaNO3 solution, whereas it scarcely catalyzes the oxidation of NADH in aqueous phosphate buffer solution. The electrocatalytic oxidation of NADH in Na2SO4 solution is less efficient than that in NaNO3 solution. The anion-dependent electrocatalysis has been discussed on the basis of the difference in the coordinating ability of the anions with the tervalent nickel centers. Steady-state current has been measured for the oxidation of NADH and it was proportional to the concentration of NADH.     

Characterization of bovine serum albumin adsorption on chromium and AISI 304 stainless steel, consequences for the Pseudomonas fragi K1 adhesion

Adsorption of BSA on the surface of chromium and 304 stainless steel, has been characterized by Contact Angle Measurements, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy (IRRAS). Bacterial adhesion has been tested and compared on these two materials before and after pre-conditioning the surface with BSA. Chromium and stainless steel surfaces, when covered by a natural oxide layer, exhibit different energetic characteristics as shown by their γ_s^- and γ_s^LW respective values. These data vary upon immersion in BSA solutions, tending towards common values for duration of immersions. After immersion in BSA solutions, the evolution of the N 1s XPS signal, specific for the BSA, suggests that the surface is nearly saturated in a few minutes. Longer times of immersion only lead to a re-ordering of the adsorbed layer. Immersion tests in dilute BSA solutions (0.01 g/l) enabled us to make clear a higher reactivity of chromium towards the protein compared to stainless steel. These differences are cancelled at higher BSA concentrations (1 g/l). IRRAS spectra of BSA adsorbed on the two substrates demonstrated the appearance of amide I and amide II bands with small shifts and intensity variations supporting orientation changes of the protein when the concentration or immersion time varies. A model for the building up of the BSA layer is proposed, which accounts for these data. Chromium and stainless steel surfaces, also have different behaviours towards adhesion of Pseudomonas fragi K1, whereas surfaces that are pre-conditioned by BSA behave in a similar way. The overall number of adherent bacteria is decreased on stainless steel, whereas it is hardly affected on chromium. On both surfaces, the fraction of viable cells is increased.     

Influence of the semiconducting properties of a current collector on the electric double layer formation on porous carbon

The electrochemical behavior of polyacrylonitrile-based activated carbon cloth combined with a stainless steel current collector was examined using ac impedance spectroscopy. H(2)SO(4), KOH, and KNO(3) were employed as the electrolytes. The data presented in the impedance complex plane exhibit a semicircle at high frequencies followed by a vertical line at low frequencies. The high frequency data were found to be characteristic of the space charge region of the semiconducting oxide layer on the stainless steel, while the low frequency data depicted the double layer formation on the porous carbon. The double layer capacitance was found to decrease with the space charge resistance, which was potential dependent and a major contribution to the overall resistance of the carbon/stainless steel electrode. The electrolyte type affected the potential window employed in energy storage and thus the semiconducting behavior of the oxide layer. Both the n- and p-type semiconductors in depletion condition appeared within the potential window applied for the H(2)SO(4) electrolyte, and this caused the presence of a peak capacitance. Only the n-type depletion condition was found in the KNO(3) and KOH electrolytes with the p-type oxide situated in accumulation at the potentials applied, and thus, the capacitance was larger at more negative potentials.     

电化学方法固定CO2用于2-羟基-2-(4-甲氧基苯基)-丙酸甲酯的合成

在一室型电解池中, 以饱和CO₂的N,N-二甲基甲酰胺(DMF)为溶液, Mg为牺牲阳极, 不锈钢、钛、铜、镍和银为工作电极, 通过电化学方法固定CO₂, 在恒电流电解的条件下研究了对甲氧基苯乙酮的电羧化反应, 得到了重要的有机合成中间体2-羟基-2-(4-甲氧基苯基)-丙酸甲酯. 电羧化产率受支持电解质种类、电极材料、电流密度、电解电量和反应温度等影响. 经过反应条件的优化, 目标产物在恒定电流密度为5.0 mA/cm²的条件下产率达到63%. 同时, 以玻碳电极-Pt丝螺旋电极-Ag/AgI/I^-为三电极体系, 研究了对甲氧基苯乙酮的电化学行为, 根据底物在通入CO₂前后循环伏安图的变化推测了对甲氧基苯乙酮的电羧化反应机理.     

A novel adsorbent for protein chromatography: supermacroporous monolithic cryogel embedded with Cu2+-attached sporopollenin particles

The aim of this study is to prepare supermacroporous cryogels embedded with Cu(2+)-attached sporopollenin particles (Cu(2+)-ASP) having large surface area for high protein adsorption capacity. Supermacroporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA)-based monolithic cryogel column embedded with Cu(2+)-ASP was prepared by radical cryo-copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBAAm) as cross-linker directly in a plastic syringe for affinity purification of human serum albumin (HSA). Firstly, Cu(2+) ions were attached to sporopollenin particles (SP), then the supermacroporous PHEMA cryogel with embedded Cu(2+)-ASP was produced by free radical polymerization using N,N,N',N'-tetramethylene diamine (TEMED) and ammonium persulfate (APS) as initiator/activator pair in an ice bath. Embedded particles (10 mg) in PHEMA-based cryogel column were used in the adsorption/desorption of HSA from aqueous solutions. Optimum conditions of adsorption experiments were performed at pH 8.0 phosphate buffer, with flow rate of 0.5 mL/min, and at 5°C. The maximum amount of HSA adsorption from aqueous solution was very high (677.4 mg/g SP) with initial concentration 6 mg/mL. It was observed that HSA could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed to the embedded Cu(2+)-ASP in PHEMA cryogel without significant loss of adsorption capacity.