Effect of pH on the association behavior in aqueous solutions of pig gastric mucin

In this study, dynamic light scattering (DLS), turbidity, and rheo-small angle light scattering (rheo-SALS) methods have been utilized to examine the impact of pH (1 ⩽ pH ⩽ 7) on aqueous solutions of noncommercial purified pig gastric mucin. The asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AFFFF) measurements established that the mucin sample has a high molecular weight and is polydisperse. DLS measurements on dilute solutions of mucin disclosed large interchain aggregates at pH 2, where the polymer has a low charge density or is uncharged. At lower or higher values of pH, mucin is charged and the tendency of forming interpolymer complexes is affected. In the semidilute concentration regime, pronounced junction zones (‘lumps’ of polymer) are evolved and a heterogeneous connected network is formed at pH 2, whereas the association structures are disintegrated (smaller ‘lumps’) at lower or higher pH values due to electrostatic repulsive interactions, and a more homogeneous network is evolved. The DLS and viscosity results at pH 1 indicate the development of a fragmented network, composed of contracted chains that are decorated by some positive charges. The effect of shear flow on the structure of semidilute solutions of mucin was investigated with the aid of rheo-SALS methods. The scattered intensity revealed a strong upturn at low values of the wave vector (q) for mucin solutions at pH 2 and pH 4, which suggests the evolution of large association domains. At these pH values, a flow-induced anisotropy in the 2D SALS patterns in the form of elliptical shapes was observed at high shear rates.

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