Strong Cation and Anion Exchange Membranes and Beads for Protein Isolation from Whey

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Abstract
Protein sorption from raw rennet whey at pH 3.0 onto S-type (strong acid), and at pH 7.2 onto Q-type (strong base), ion exchange beads and membranes was measured. The data were used to analyze protein binding capacities, percentage recoveries, production rates, and design parameters for a commercial-scale process. Performance of S-type beads was superior to Q-type beads, but Q-type and S-type membranes performed comparably, except that the S-type membranes lost capacity during repeated cycling without cleaning, while the Q-type membranes did not. Performance of the S-type membranes was increased by microfiltration of the whey before loading, but this was partially offset by the lower protein content of the microfiltered whey. Increasing the flow rate through the cartridge increased productivity, but the percentage protein recovery decreased. This was attributed to the pore size of the membrane, which may have been too large for protein to reach the pore wall by diffusion before it passed through the membrane. A smaller pore size may increase the capture of protein and the binding capacity, but at the expense of plugging if the pores are too small.

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