Biological polymer coatings

In some systems, such as lake and river waters, the suspended inorganic particles may be coated by biological polymers, termed humic substances, which prevent flocculation by either steric or electrostatic mechanisms. These can also interact with added inorganic salts (31) that can neutralize charged functional groups on these polymers. 

Typically RO systems are preceded by pretreatment units to remove suspended solids/colloidal matter and add chemicals that control biological growth and reduce scaling. Membranes are typically made of synthetic polymers coated on a backing (skin). Examples of membrane materials include polyamides, cellulose acetate and sulfonated polysulfone. 

Kanda, T., Shirota, O., Ohtsu, Y., and Yamaguchi, M., Synthesis and characterization of polymer-coated mixed-functional stationary phases with several different hydrophobic groups for direct analysis of biological samples by liquid chromatography, /. Chromatogr. A, 722, 115, 1996. 

Comparable to the other protein-coated supports are the Ultrabiosep and the BioTrap phases. The former are composed of C4, Cg, or Cis reversed-phase silica supports covered with a biological polymer which is not described in the literature (135). The latter are commercially available as Bio Trap Acid or Biotrap Amine precolumns (136). They are Cis-modified silica supports covered with -1-acid glycoprotein as a biocompatible layer. Due to the immobilized protein, this type of reversed-phase material also possesses weak ion-exchange properties. 

Discovery of polymer coatings that maintain sensitivity, promote selectivity, protect the electrode from the biological fluid, and provide a biocompatible surface to the measured system... 

Kugimiya, A. Takeuchi, T. Molecularly imprinted polymer-coated quartz microbalance for detection of biological hormone. Electroanalysis 1999,11, 1158-1160. 

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