Hepatotoxic microcystin removal using pumice embedded monolithic composite cryogel as an alternative water treatment method.

Microcystins are the most commonly encountered water-borne cyanotoxins which present short- and long-term risks to human health. Guidelines at international and national level, and legislation in some countries, have been introduced for the effective health risk management of these potent hepatotoxic, tumour-promoters. The stable cyclic structure of microcystins and their common production by cyanobacteria in waterbodies at times of high total dissolved organic carbon content presents challenges to drinking water treatment facilities, with conventional, advanced and novel strategies under evaluation.

A novel matrix for hydrophobic interaction chromatography and its application in lysozyme adsorption.

A novel 1-naphthylamine (NA) coupled poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-N-methacryloyl-(L)-histidine methyl ester) [NA-PHEMAH] supermacroporous monolithic hydrophobic cryogel was prepared via covalent coupling of NA to PHEMAH for adsorption of lysozyme from aqueous solution. Firstly, PHEMAH monolithic cryogel was prepared by radical cryocopolymerization of HEMA with MAH as a functional comonomer and N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide (MBAAm) as a crosslinker directly in a plastic syringe, and then NA molecules were covalently attached to the imidazole rings of MAH groups of the polymeric structure. The prepared, NA-PHEMAH, supermacroporous monolithic hydrophobic cryogel was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Novel adsorbent for DNA adsorption: Fe(3+)-attached sporopollenin particles embedded composite cryogels.

The aim of this study is to prepare supermacroporous cryogels embedded with Fe(3+)-attached sporopollenin particles (Fe(3++)-ASPs) having large surface area for high DNA adsorption capacity. Supermacroporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA)-based monolithic cryogel column embedded with Fe3+(+)-ASPs 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 DNA adsorption studies. Firstly, Fe3+(+) ions were attached to the sporopollenin particles (SPs), then the supermacroporous PHEMA cryogel with embedded Fe(3++)-ASPs was produced by free radical polymerization using N,N,N´, N´-Tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED) and ammonium persulfate (APS) as initiator/activator pair in an ice bath.

Investigation of protein adsorption performance of Ni2+-attached diatomite particles embedded in composite monolithic cryogels.

As a low-cost natural adsorbent, diatomite (DA) (2 μm) has several advantages including high surface area, chemical reactivity, hydrophilicity and lack of toxicity. In this study, the protein adsorption performance of supermacroporous composite cryogels embedded with Ni(2+)-attached DA particles (Ni(2+)-ADAPs) was investigated. Supermacroporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA)-based monolithic composite cryogel column embedded with Ni(2+)-ADAPs 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) both from aqueous solutions and human serum.