Study of the deactivation of Beta-galactosidase entrapped in gels

MAMMARELLA, ENRIQUE J; RUBIOLO, AMELIA C

Florianópolis, SC, Brasil

Congreso; XIV Simposio Nacional de Fermentaciones; 2003

Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

The effectiveness of Ca-alginate-K-k-carrageenan gels for b-galactosidase entrapment and the operational stability of matrices formed were studied by determining the activity of the biocatalyst. The thermal deactivation and the protein loss due to the gel swelling were evaluated and taken in account in the enzymatic reaction rate equation. Time-temperature effect was the most important factor in the biocatalyst deactivation reaction. However, results show that the quantity of the enzyme entrapped in gels is reduced by the protein loss. The principal reason of the reduction of enzyme quantity in the biocatalyst was gel swelling, which was non-linear and depended on mixing conditions in the reactor. The biocatalyst enzyme loss was obtained in a batch reactor. Results were extended for equal flow conditions in a fixed-bed reactor to reduce the error in predicting the conversion. This effect is important in order to know reactor operation conditions that maintain a constant conversion value.