In conclusion,
Addition of Phe or Tyr amino acid monomers during conjugation of Brij-O20 micelles via the [(bathophenanthroline)3:Fe2+] amphiphilic complex, appears to weaken the interaction of captured IgG’s with the nonionic detergent matrix at pH 6.3. This is best demonstrated by the ability to efficiently extract hIgG (82-85%yield) at pH 6.3 whereas in the absence of amino acid monomers, overall process yield is only 54%. Using Phe or Tyr in antibody purification protocols is attractive: the amino acid monomers are (i) non-toxic; (ii) relatively inexpensive; and importantly, (iii) do not lead to antibody denaturation. Antibody aggregation which can occur at low pH is thereby avoided.