IMMOBILIZATION OF GLUCOSE-OXIDASE AND UREASE IN HYDROGEL MATRICES

Immobilization of glucose oxidase and urease in hydrogels of 2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylae, and N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP) was achieved by irrad iation (using UV kand gamma-rays). The effect of radiation on entrapme nt efficiencies, retention of activities and swelling rates was obtain ed. To optimize the system, duration of exposure, reaction temperature , co-monomer concentrations, initiator and cross linker compositions w ere varied. The repeated reusability of the generated products was als o tested. It was found that gamma-irradiation at very low temperatures did not have a detrimental effect on the enzyme activity. Incorporati on of more hydrophilic monomer (NVP), influenced matrix morphology and entrapment efficiencies and retained enzyme activities positively Rep eated use studies revealed that there is a gradual loss (higher in the NVPL incorporated group) of activity following 10 runs. With the use of the present approach it is believed that the construction of biosen sors using hydrogels of arious forms is possible.