Poly(acrylamide/vinylsulfonic acid) hydrogel for invertase immobilization

Area of Science:

• Polymer Science
• Biochemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Enzyme immobilization is crucial for industrial applications, requiring stable and efficient support materials.
• Hydrogels offer a promising matrix for enzyme immobilization due to their porous structure and biocompatibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize poly (acrylamide/vinylsulfonic acid) (PA/VSA) and poly (acrylamide) (PA) hydrogels.
• To immobilize invertase enzyme onto these hydrogels and evaluate its performance.
• To assess the impact of immobilization on enzyme stability and kinetic properties.

Main Methods:

• Free radical polymerization for hydrogel synthesis.
• Spectrophotometry, thermal analysis, swelling, and diffusion experiments for characterization.
• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for morphology analysis.
• Enzyme kinetics studies (pH, temperature, K_m, V_max) and stability assays.

Main Results:

• PA/VSA hydrogels exhibited higher swelling and non-Fickian water diffusion compared to PA hydrogels.
• Immobilized invertase (PA-I and PA/VSA-I) showed altered optimal pH and temperature compared to free invertase.
• PA/VSA-I demonstrated significantly enhanced thermal, operational, storage, and pH stability.
• Michaelis constant (K_m) and maximum reaction rate (V_max) were determined for free and immobilized enzymes.

Conclusions:

• PA/VSA hydrogels serve as effective supports for invertase immobilization.
• Immobilization onto PA/VSA hydrogels improves enzyme stability and modifies kinetic parameters.
• PA/VSA-I presents a robust biocatalyst with potential for various industrial applications demanding high stability.