Magnetic Separation: Industrial and Lab Scale Applications

Figure 11. On a single particle, several necessary sections of a magnetic material that
could be used in biological systems is summarized. (from ref. [Salata 2004 Review] with
permission)
b. Protein purification
Magnetic separation of biological entities proven to be rapid and more effective for over
30 years now (Robinson 1973 Biotech, Lilly 1974 Biotech, Guesdon 1977
Immunochem, Hirschbein 1982 ApplBiochem, Hubbuch 2001). Proper coating and
labeling of the magnetic particles and the target species would yield hassle-free and
time-saver purifications with reduced costs (Setchell 1985, Safarik 2004
BiomagResTech). Although very effective, magnetic affinity separations need to be
very specific. Immobilization of ligands on the magnetic adsorbents for the capture of
the target species is crucial and perhaps because of this, though standard liquid column
chromatography is currently the most often used technique, magnetic separations will
prevail with significant research in magnetic affinity separations and biochemical
analysis (Safarik 2004 BiomagResTEch). Recent studies on magnetic materials for
protein separations involve silica coated magnetite with amino functionality for salmon
sperm DNA elution (Bruce 2005 Langmuir), phospholipid coated magnetite for
myoglobin recovery (Bucak 2003 BiotechnolProg), polyethylenimine coated magnetite
for purification of plasmid DNA from bacterial cells (Chiang 2005 J ChromatogB),
magnetic separation of erbium (III) attached biological particles (Evans 1981 Science),
magnetic polyacrylamide-agarose beads for measuring rabbit antibody (Guesdon 1977),