RADIATION SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF N-VINYL-2-PYRROLIDONE N-ALLYLTHIOUREA HYDROGELS AND THEIR USE IN THE ADSORPTION OF INVERTASE/

N-Vinyl-2-pyrrolidone/N-allylthiourea (VP/ATU) copolymeric hydrogels w ere prepared by gamma-irradiating ternary mixtures of VP/ATU/water. Th e influence of the ATU on the gelation of VP, on the network structure and on the adsorption of invertase was investigated. VP/ATU copolymer ic hydrogels were found to swell in the range of 950-2500%. The water diffusion to the hydrogels is a non-Fickian type diffusion and the dif fusion coefficients varied from 15.4.10(-8) to 1.5.10(-8) m(2) s(-1). The adsorption capacity of the hydrogels was found to increase from 8. 0 to 380.0 mu g invertase/g dry gel with increasing amount of ATU, and loss in activity with adsorption is approximately threefold.