Effect of Filtration Type on BSA Fouling with PVB Hollow Fiber Membrane

Hydrophilic poly (vinyl butyral) (PVB) hollow fiber membranes prepared via thermally induced phase separation(TIPS) were used for the filtration of bovine serum albumin (BSA)suspension, and the effect of filtration type on the BSA fouling of the membrane was studied. The results show that compared inside-out filtration with outside-in filtration, therelative fluxof the former is a little smaller than that of the latter for the same concentration of BSA suspension. Therelative flux is the smallest at isoelectric point (IEP), and the greater relative flux is obtainedat higherpH.The SEM results show that the inner surface and the pore channels of the inside-outfiltration membraneare accumulated withBSA particles for 30 min of filtration, while little aggregated BSA particles are shown on the outer surface of the outside-in filtration membrane.