Some surface-related aspects of the cleaning of new and reused stainless-steel surfaces fouled by protein
The adsorption of β-lactoglobulin to stainless steel and its subsequent alkali-induced removal were followed using ellipsometry. New steel samples differing in bulk composition, surface finish or chemical pretreatment were used. All surfaces were precleaned in strongly alkaline solution, and some were subsequently passivated in nitric acid. Furthermore, on surfaces differing in pretreatment measur