Non-ionic macroporous polystyrene adsorbents for removal of serum toxins in liver failure by hemoperfusion

Strong base anion exchange resin (e.g., BL-300) is currently used to eliminate bilirubin from blood in clinical hemoperfusion. However, there is a potential weakness of the resin to remove heparin and activation of coagulation. To overcome this weakness, we prepared a novel non-ionic macroporous polystyrene adsorbent (SZ-9) with rich mesopores and high surface area by suspension polymerization. Test results indicated that SZ-9 performed better adsorption capacity for bilirubin than BL-300. In addition, better blood compatibility was observed during whole blood hemoperfusion. Therefore, adsorbent SZ-9 might be an efficient alternative to anion exchange resin for the removal of bilirubin in hemoperfusion.