Mechanism of Removing Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV) and Gold Particles Using Cuprammonium Regenerated Cellulose Hollow Fiber (i-BMM or BMM) from Aqueous Solution Containing Protein

We intended to clarify the mechanism of virus removal in aqueous protein solution and human plasma solution through conventional and high performance regenerated cellulose hollow fiber (i.e., BMM and i-BMM). We employed Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) as a typical virus. Two kinds of disperse gold particles (GP) with different size were represented as model particles of a virus and protein particles. We investigated the filtration characteristics concerning removability of GP and JEV (Φg and Φv, respectively) and the frequency distribution of GP and JEV within the walls of hollow fibers using a transmission electron microscope. The results were that (1) Φg depended on the particle size, (2) the maximum population of captured GP moved to the outer wall with increase in challenge number, (3) i-BMM showed higher Φg and Φv than those of BMM. (4) Both Φg and Φv depend on the concentration of protein and total volume filtered. (5) The effects of coexistence of proteins on Φg and Φv are classified as initial change in the pore structure and local concentration of proteins in the pores (expressed as Φg0) and subsequent change in the pore structure with filtration volume (φg0). These indicate that JEV and GP under the coexistence of protein are caught by BMM and i-BMM mainly through a sieving mechanism.