PVDF membranes

Abstract

The invention provides a method of treating a polyvinyl difluoride (PVDF) membrane comprising: (a) contacting said membrane with an alcohol and a wetting agent; and (b) drying said membrane.

1 . A method of treating a polyvinyl difluoride (PVDF) membrane comprising:
 (a) contacting said membrane with an alcohol and a wetting agent; and   (b) drying said membrane.   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises contacting said membrane with a mixture of the alcohol and the wetting agent. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises:
 (i) contacting said membrane with alcohol;   (ii) washing said membrane; and   (iii) contacting said membranes with the wetting agent.   
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the alcohol is selected from ethanol and methanol. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said wetting agent is selected from phosphate buffered saline, a carbonate salt, a carbohydrate, a protein and an amino acid. 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the carbohydrate is selected from lactose, sucrose, glucose, trehalose, fructose, manose, inositol, glucosamine, arabinose and xylose. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the protein is albumin or an antibody. 
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the amino acid is glycine. 
   
   
       9 . A PVDF membrane obtainable by a method according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       10 . A method of coating a PVDF membrane according to  claim 9  with a protein, said method comprising:
 (a) contacting said membrane with a protein;   (b) optionally washing said membrane; and   (c) optionally drying said membrane in the presence of a stabilising agent.   
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the protein is an antibody. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the antibody is an antibody to a cytokine. 
   
   
       13 . Use of a PVDF membrane according to  claim 9  in an immunological assay. 
   
   
       14 . Use according to  claim 13 , wherein the immunological assay is an ELISA or ELISpot assay.