Lysozyme adsorption on the colloidal chromium(III) oxide surface: Its impact on the system stability

This paper describes the lysozyme (LSZ) presence effect on the chromium(III) oxide (Cr2O3) suspension stability. First, the electrokinetic properties of the examined system, i.e. surface charge density and zeta potential of solid particles in the absence and presence of LSZ, were determined. The lysozyme addition reduces the metal oxide surface charge, which may be related to the interaction of the LSZ protonated amino groups with the adsorbent surface moieties. The LSZ macromolecules undergo adsorption on the Cr2O3 surface only under electrostatic attraction. At the LSZ concentrations above 50 ppm the macromolecules cover completely the particle surface, which is evidenced by the observed zeta potential values. The LSZ influence on the Cr2O3 suspension stability depends on the solution pH value. At pH 3, 4.6 and 7.6, the LSZ addition improves the system stability. In turn, at pH 9 it is associated with the slight suspension destabilization.