Effect of the pH in the formation of beta-galactosidase microparticles produced by a spray-drying process

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

Berta N. Estevinho (Author) FEUP; Irena Ramos (Author) Other; Fernando Rocha (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

Vol. 78

Pages: 238-242

ISSN: 0141-8130

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 21 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 28 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Biological sciences

CORDIS: Technological sciences

Associated Projects

LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00A-D2P

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.03.049

Abstract (EN): The objective of this work was to investigate the influence of pH in the microencapsulation process, using a modified chitos an to microencapsulate the enzyme beta-galactosidase, by a spray-drying technique. Structural analysis of the surface of the particles was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), showing that the obtained microparticles have an average diameter smaller than 3.5 mu m and in general a regular shape. The activity of the enzyme was studied by spectrophotometric methods using the substrate P-nitrophenyl-beta,D-galactopyranoside (ONPG). The parameters of Michaelis-Menten were calculated. The value of K-m decreases with the decrease of the pH, which can be associated to an increase of the affinity between the enzyme and substrate to smaller pH's. The highest value of the parameter V-max, representing the maximum reaction rate at a given enzyme concentration, was obtained at pH 6.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 5