DNA adsorption onto calcium aluminate and silicate glass surfaces

A common technique for small-scale isolation of genomic DNA is via adsorption of the DNA molecules onto a silica scaffold. In this work, the isolation capacities of calcium aluminate based glasses were compared against a commercially available silica scaffold. Silica scaffolds exhibit a negative surface at the physiological pH values used during DNA isolation (pH 5–9), while the calcium aluminate glass microspheres exhibit a positive surface charge. Isolation data demonstrates that the positively charged surface enhanced DNA adsorption over the negatively charged surface. DNA was eluted from the calcium aluminate surface by shifting the pH of the solution to above its IEP at pH 8. Iron additions to the calcium aluminate glass improved the chemical durability without compromising the surface charge. Morphology of the glass substrate was also found to affect DNA isolation; 43–106 μm diameter soda lime silicate microspheres adsorbed a greater quantity of genomic DNA than silica fibers with an average diameter of ∼2 μm.