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Updated: Oct 8, 2026

Supercritical Nitrogen Processing for the Purification of Reactive Porous Materials
Published on: May 15, 2015
Supercritical fluids are superior media for catalysis by cross-linked enzyme microcrystals of subtilisin Carlsberg
N Fontes1, M C Almeida, S Garcia
1Instituto de Tecnologia Quimica e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Apt. 127, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal.
Abstract:
We report on the performance of cross-linked enzyme microcrystals (CLECs) of subtilisin Carlsberg in supercritical fluids (SC-fluids). The catalytic activity of CLECs in SC-ethane was found to be 2- to 10-fold greater than in hexane under the same conditions, using CLECs dried by propanol washing. Air-dried CLECs and lyophilized powders showed much lower activities, reflecting the same hydration hysteresis effects as in organic solvents. Reaction rates were much lower in SC-CO(2), especially at higher water activity, probably as a result of acid-base effects of carbonic acid on the enzyme.
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