Binding of some environmental pollutants to corn protein zein studied by high-performance liquid chromatography.

The strength and the character of the binding of 12 organic solvents to the corn protein zein was determined by preparing zein-coated carbon stationary phase and by measuring the retention of solvents on a high-performance liquid chromatographic column filled with this stationary phase. The relationship between the physicochemical parameters and binding characteristics of solvents was elucidated by principal component analysis. Various interactive forces are involved in the binding of solvent to the protein. The strength of the binding is dominantly influenced by the molecular hydrophobicity while the Gaussian or non-Gaussian distribution of the adsorption strength is markedly dependent on the polarity parameters of the solvent. Sterical correspondences exerted considerable influence on each binding parameter.