Abstract
One of the factors to reduce the performance of a hemodialyzer during clinical treatment is membrane fouling caused by protein adsorption. Highly permeable dialysis membranes recently developed are of asymmetrical structure and the reduction in permeability after protein adsorption may vary with their asymmetrical structure. Intramembrane diffusion coefficients and rejection factor for several solutes of polysulfone membranes having asymmetrical structure were measured before and after plasma protein adsorption. Ratio of intramembrane diffusion coefficient to diffusion coefficient in water for higher molecular weight solutes is reduced after plasma protein adsorption, but that for lower molecular weight solutes is slightly reduced. Rejection factor after plasma protein adsorption increases at lower filtration flux especially for smaller molecules, but that at higher filtration flux hardly changes.
