ADSORPTION AND ENZYME (BETA-GALACTOSIDASE AND ALPHA-CHYMOTRYPSIN) - IMMOBILIZATION PROPERTIES OF GEL FIBER PREPARED BY THE GEL FORMATION OFCELLULOSE-ACETATE AND TITANIUM ISO-PROPOXIDE

We prepared a new composite gel fiber by the gel formation of cellulos e acetate and titanium isopropoxide. The fiber is harder than alginate gel; it is also stable in common solvents, phosphate solution, and el ectrolyte solutions over a wide range of pH from 3 to 10. The fiber sh ows amphoretic adsorption properties depending on pH, namely, it acts anionic with decreasing pH and cationic with increasing pH. However, t he fiber had no adsorption property for a pyrogen endotoxin. The beta- galactosidase and alpha-chymotrypsin not retained in alginate gel were immobilized on the fibers by this method. The pH, temperature, and re peated run stabilities of the immobilized enzyme were compared to thos e of the native one. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioen g 59: 651-656, 1998.