Cleaning of Alumina Fouled with Bovine Serum Albumin by the Combined Use of Gaseous Ozone and Alkaline Electrolyzed Water

Abstract

Alumina (Al₂O₃) particles fouled with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were cleaned with alkaline electrolyzed water and NaOH solutions of different pHs. The efficiency and rate of BSA desorption during batchwise and continuous cleaning with alkaline electrolyzed water depended on the solution pH, i.e., the hydroxide ion concentration. Pretreatment of BSA-fouled Al₂O₃ with 0.3% (v/v) gaseous ozone markedly facilitated BSA desorption during subsequent cleaning with alkaline electrolyzed water, depending on the length of pretreatment. The results suggest that the efficiency of cleaning with gaseous ozone and alkaline electrolyzed water (pH 11.7) in combination is comparable to that of cleaning with high-pH NaOH solutions (pH>13.0) alone.