ENZYMATIC-HYDROLYSIS OF CELLULOSE .2. X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON-SPECTROSCOPY STUDIES ON CELLULASE ADSORPTION - EFFECT OF THE SURFACTANT TWEEN-85

The adsorption of proteins on particulate and fibrous celluloses was s tudied by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The presenc e of protein (bovine serum albumin and Celluclast, a commercial cellul ase from Trichoderma reesei) adsorbed on the fibres was detected by th e N1s signal in the wide-field spectrum. The proteins adsorbed onto se veral types of cellulose could be compared, irrespective of the fibres ' specific surface area. The fractional monolayer coverage of cellulos e fibres could also be calculated. The influence of the surfactant Twe en 85 on cellulase adsorption and enzymatic activity was also investig ated. At low enzyme concentrations, the surfactant reduces the amount of adsorbed enzyme, simultaneously improving the reaction rate. The ef fect of the surfactant depends on the structural properties of the sub strate, The higher the crystallinity of the substrate, the less effect ive is the enhancement of the reaction and the reduction of the amount of adsorbed enzyme by the surfactant.