Preparation of Zn2+‐chelated poly(HEMA‐MAH) cryogel for affinity purification of chicken egg lysozyme

Supermacroporous poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [poly(HEMA)]‐based monolithic cryogel column was prepared by radical cryocopolymerization of HEMA with N‐methacryloyl‐L ‐histidine methyl ester (MAH) as functional comonomer and N,N′‐methylene‐bisacrylamide (MBAAm) as crosslinker directly in a plastic syringe for affinity purification of lysozyme from chicken egg white. The monolithic cryogel containing a continuous polymeric matrix having interconnected pores of 10–50 μm size was loaded with Zn²⁺ ions to form the metal chelate with poly(HEMA‐MAH) cryogel. Poly(HEMA‐MAH) cryogel was characterized by swelling studies, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy, and elemental analysis. The equilibrium swelling degree of the poly(HEMA‐MAH) monolithic cryogel was 5.62 g H₂O/g cryogel. Poly(HEMA‐MAH) cryogel containing 45.8 μmol MAH/g was used in the adsorption/desorption of lysozyme from aqueous solutions. The nonspecific adsorption of lysozyme was very low (7.5 mg/g). The maximum amount of lysozyme adsorption from aqueous solution in phosphate buffer was 209 mg/g at pH 7.0. It was observed that lysozyme could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed with the poly(HEMA‐MAH) cyogel without significant loss of adsorption capacity. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008