Biofouling often occurs when materials are exposed to blood or other bodily fluids, which can cause for use of hollow fibers for gas exchange in artificial lung devices. The layer of cells and proteins that accumulates decreases gas exchange, affects the surface structure, and alters performance thereby increasing health care costs. Our group is working to develop low-fouling membranes that maintain high gas exchange properties and will extend the useful life of artificial lung devices. Following research performed in the Messersmith and Barron labs, we have used peptoids with methoxyethylamine (NMEG) side chains to coat hollow fibers. NMEG peptoids were immobilized onto the surface of hollow fibers using polydopamine, as illustrated in scheme.1. The attachment of peptoid was evaluated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements. The ability of the membranes to prevent biofouling was tested by adsorbing protein (bovine serum albumin, lysozyme, or fibrinogen) on peptoid-modified and unmodified membranes and protein fouling was assessed by UV absorbance at λ=280 nm. The NMEG peptoid reduces the adsorption of bovine serum albumin, lysozyme and fibrinogen for up to one week. Furthermore, results for gas exchange indicate that hollow fiber membranes with peptoid modification have higher gas exchange properties at extended times. Specifically, after 5 hours the peptoid-modified membranes had a 5.7% reduction in flux while the unmodified membranes had a 53.6% reduction in flux. Future studies will focus on modifications to the peptoid sequence as well as biofouling testing with more complex materials. Keywords Bio-fouling, Hollow-fiber membranes (HFMs), Peptoid, Polysulfone, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

New method of decreasing fouling and increasing gas transfer of polysulfone hollow-fiber membranes using peptoids

251st National Meeting (2016)

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