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Pure Appl. Chem., 2004, Vol. 76, No. 4, pp. 879-888

http://dx.doi.org/10.1351/pac200476040879

In situ poly(ethylene imine) coating of hollow fiber membranes used for microdialysis sampling

N. Torto, M. Ohlrogge, L. Gorton, J. M. Van Alstine, Thomas Laurell and G. Marko-Varga

Department of Chemistry, University of Botswana, P/Bag UB 00704, Gaborone, Botswana; Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Lund, P.O. Box 124, SE-221 00, Lund, Sweden; Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, KET/TS, Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Electrical Measurements, University of Lund, P.O. Box 118, SE-221 00, Lund, Sweden; Bioanalytical Research, Astra-Zeneca, Pre-Clinical Research and Development, P.O.Box 34, SE-221 00, Lund, Sweden

Abstract: A method for the in situ modification of hollow fiber membranes used as sampling units for microdialysis probes is presented. The method consists of adsorption-coating, high molecular-weight poly(ethylene imine), PEI, onto membranes, already fitted on microdialysis probes. Modification of membranes was designed to specifically explore the so-called Andrade effects and thus enhance the interaction of membranes with enzyme. The performances of polysulfone, polyethersulfone, and polyamide membranes modified with PEI-enzyme complex were evaluated based on the membrane extraction fraction for maltose and maltotriose and membrane morphology as examined by scanning electron microscopy. Of the membranes tested, the PEI-enzyme complex least affected the performance of the polysulfone membranes. Conversion of maltoheptaose to maltotriose and maltose was increased reproducibly (within a 5 % relative standard deviation) by 50 % for modified membranes compared to the native hollow fiber membranes. The results demonstrate the potential to effectively modify membranes already fitted on a microdialysis probe. Such a procedure can be modified and employed to either promote or reduce membrane–protein interaction for hollow fibers used as microdialysis sampling units or other similar membrane applications.