POLY-N-VINYLCAPROLACTAM GEL - A NOVEL MATRIX FOR ENTRAPMENT OF MICROORGANISMS

A new gel-type support poly-N-vinylcaprolactam for microbial cell immo bilization is presented. The method allows one to obtain beads of bioc atalyst in a single step. The properties of beads obtained using diffe rent types of gel stabilizers were compared; the best stabilizer was f ound to be tannin. The method developed was used for entrapment of via ble bacterial cells and fungal spores. The biocatalysts obtained were used for transformations of both hydrophilic (sorbitol, indolyl-3-acet ic acid) and lipophilic (cortexolone, hydrocortisone) substrates.