Adsorption of Proteins onto Nitrocellulose Membranes from a Flowing Solution – Theory and Experiment

Some analytical laboratory procedures involve passing the sample through a porous polymer membrane. In this process, the analyte binds to the surface of the membrane modified with a specific receptor layer and is then detected using optical or electrochemical signals. This paper presents an experimental and theoretical analysis of the binding patterns of the analyte with nitrocellulose membranes. Two cases are considered: specific binding of the analyte with antibodies immobilized on the membrane, as well as non-specific adsorption of the analyte. It is shown that increasing the volume of the sample passed through the membrane leads to an increase in the amount of adsorbed analyte, which can generally be used to improve the sensitivity of biosensors.