Application of Supermacroporous Monolithic Hydrophobic Cryogel in Capturing of Albumin

Supermacroporous poly{2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-N,N-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide]} poly(HEMA-co-DIPPER)] monolithic cryogel column was prepared by radical cryocopolymerization of HEMA with DIPPER as functional comonomer and N,N′-methylene-bisacrylamide (MBAAm) as crosslinker directly in a plastic syringe for adsorption of albumin. The monolithic cryogel contained a continuous polymeric matrix having interconnected pores of 10–50 μm size. Poly(HEMA-co-DIPPER) cryogel was characterized by swelling studies, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy, and elemental analysis. The equilibrium swelling degree of the poly(HEMA-co-DIPPER) cryogel was 14.7 g H₂O/g dry cryogel. Poly(HEMA-co-DIPPER) cryogel was used in the adsorption/desorption of albumin from aqueous solutions. The nonspecific adsorption of albumin onto plain poly(HEMA) cryogel was very low (3.36 g/g polymer). The maximum amount of albumin adsorption from aqueous solution in acetate buffer was 40.9 mg/g polymer at pH 5.0. It was observed that albumin could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed with the poly(HEMA-co-DIPPER) cryogel without significant loss of adsorption capacity.