Some new reactive polymers for the immobilization of enzymes

From poly(vinyl alcohol) precursors, various reactive carriers for the immobilization of enzymes were synthesized. As insoluble starting polymers, the following products were used: poly(vinyl alcohol), gels crosslinked with terephthalaldehyde, hydrolyzed beads of crosslinked poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl acetate-co- ethylene) tubes coated with poly(vinyl alcohol), and poly(vinyl alcohol)-containing synthetic pulp. Reactive groups introduced into these carriers or methods for their activation included the diazonium- and isothiocyanato group, and the glutardialdehyde-, BrCN, 2, 4, 6-trichloro-s-triazien, and p-benzoquinone methods. Furthermore, SH-specific reactive groups such as N-substituted maleimide groups or activated mixed disulfides with 2-thiopyridyl groups could be introduced into PVA-polymers. Enzymes like hydrolases (e.g. papain, trypsin, chymotrypsin, urease), oxidoreductases (e.g. glucose oxydase, catalase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) as well as the example of transferase hexokinase coimmobilized with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, were immobilized by reactive poly(vinyl alcohol) carriers. The properties of the immobilized enzymes were investigated.