An adsorption column with a diameter of 2.0 cm and a bed height of 5.8 cm was used to isolate the digestive enzyme, trypsin. The concentration of trypsin in the feed was 0.190 mg/mL. The flow rate of the feed was 0.109 cm3/sec. The void volume in the bed was 0.35. The bulk density of the adsorbent (in its hydrated state in the bed) is 1.03 g/cm3. The volumes eluted at breakthrough (0.1yF) and exhaustion (0.9yF) were 150 and 450 cm3, respectively. (Recall that volume eluted and time can be related through the volumetric flow rate.) (a) Estimate the loading of trypsin on the adsorbent (mg/g) at breakthrough and at exhaustion for the feed concentration given.
(b) If you choose a breakthrough concentration of 0.01 mg/mL at 200 cm3, what is the fraction of adsorbent bed utilized?