Magnetic multiwall carbon nanotubes modified with dual hydroxy functional ionic liquid for the solid-phase extraction of protein

Abstract

A novel adsorbent based on silica-coated magnetic multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) surface modified by dual hydroxy functional ionic liquid (FIL) ([OH]-FIL-m-MWCNTs@SiO₂) has been designed and used for the purification of lysozyme (Lys) by magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were employed to characterize [OH]-FIL-m-MWCNTs@SiO₂. After extraction, the concentration of Lys was determined by a UV-Vis spectrophotometer at 278 nm. A series of single-factor experiments were carried out to identify the optimal conditions of the extraction and the extraction amount could reach up to 94.6 mg g⁻¹. The RSD of the precision, the repeatability and the stability experiments were 0.37% (n = 3), 0.47% (n = 3) and 0.52% (n = 3), respectively. Comparison of [OH]-FIL-m-MWCNTs@SiO₂ with silica-coated magnetic Fe₃O₄ (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂), silica-coated magnetic multiwall carbon nanotubes (m-MWCNTs@SiO₂) and alkyl quaternary ammonium ionic liquid-modified on m-MWCNTs@SiO₂ was carried out by extracting Lys. The extraction of bovine serum albumin (BSA), trypsin (Try) and ovalbumin (OVA) was also done by the proposed method. Desorption of Lys was carried out by 0.005 mol L⁻¹ Na₂HPO₄–1 mol L⁻¹ NaCl as the eluent solution and the desorption ratio reached 91.6%. Nearly 97.8% of the [OH]-FIL-m-MWCNTs@SiO₂ could be recovered from each run, and the extraction amount decreased less after five runs. The circular dichroism spectral experiment analysis indicated that the secondary structure of Lys was unchanged after extraction.