Equilibrium and dynamic characteristics of protein adsorption layers at gas-liquid interfaces: Theoretical and experimental data

Within the framework of a nonideal two-dimensional solution model, equations are derived for the state of a surface layer, adsorption isotherms, and the distribution function of adsorbed protein molecules with respect to their states characterized by different molar surface areas. The derived equations satisfactorily describe the known experimental dependences obtained for equilibrium adsorption layers of some proteins (serum albumin, beta-casein, and beta-lactoglobulin): the dependences of the surface pressure on concentration and adsorption, the surface layer thickness on adsorption, and the limiting high-frequency elastic modulus of an adsorption layer on the surface pressure. All dependences for a given protein are described by the same set of parameters of the theoretical model. It is shown that the kinetics of protein adsorption studied by dynamic tensiometry, ellipsometry, and the radiotracer technique is consistent with the diffusion model comprising the Ward-Tordai equation and the set of equations describing the equilibrium. The kinetics of protein desorption from the adsorption layer at a liquid-fluid interface is analyzed. The kinetics of beta-lactoglobulin desorption is shown to be described by the barrier mechanism.