Zeolite inorganic supports for BSA immobilization: comparative study of several zeolite crystals and composite membranes.

Zeolites due to their low toxicity and high compatibility are considered new biomaterials for medical applications. The surface adsorption behaviour of zeolite crystals and composite membranes was discussed in this research. The zeolite materials were synthesized by hydrothermal syntheses using different reaction gels to modulate the Brönsted acidity of the microporous structures.

Study of the surface character as responsible for controlling interfacial forces at membrane-feed interface.

The role of the interfacial forces was emphasized in interactive processes, involving membrane surface and penetrating molecules. The surface character controlling the dissolution process of some species (CO2, H2O, C3H6O2, C4H8O2, C5H10O2) was evaluated in relation to the supra-molecular chemistry of membranes based on 80PTMO/PA12. Infrared analyses combined with the estimation of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains of the membrane surface yielded useful information about the distribution, availability and accessibility of the polar moieties responsible for the penetrant sorption.

Novel composite poly(4-vinylpyridine)/polypropylene membranes with recognition properties for (S)-naproxen.

In the last few years, molecular imprinting technology has entered in different fields of chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology and medicine. The technique allows us to introduce the molecular memory of the substrate to be recognized in a polymeric material during its preparation. In the present paper, molecularly imprinted enantioselective polymer membranes were prepared by photo-copolymerization of commercial polypropylene membranes with the functional monomer 4-vinylpyridine.

Effect of immobilization site and membrane materials on multiphasic enantiocatalytic enzyme membrane reactors.

In the experimental work reported here the optical resolution of racemic naproxen methyl ester with crude lipase immobilized in a membrane reactor was studied. The multiphasic enantiocatalytic enzyme membrane reactor consisted of an organic phase that dissolved the naproxen methyl ester, a lipase-loaded membrane, and an aqueous phase that extracted the reaction product. Lipase preferentially converted the (S)-naproxen methyl ester to (S)-naproxen acid that was simultaneously separated by a membrane.

Membrane contactors in the beverage industry for controlling the water gas composition.

In the work described here, membrane contactors are used for coupling the removal of species (oxygen and hydrogen sulfide) present in the water with the water carbonation process. We include both experiments and a theoretical study devoted to the analysis of the transport phenomena that occur in the membrane contactor. The main resistance to mass transport was located at the liquid side.