Dodecenyl succinylated alginate as a novel material for encapsulation and hyperactivation of lipases

Abstract

Alginate was modified with dodecenyl succinic anhydride (SAC12) in an aqueous reaction medium at neutral pH. The highest degree of succinylation (33.9±3.5%) was obtained after 4h at 30°C, using four mole SAC12 per mol alginate monomer. Alginate was modified with succinic anhydride (SAC0) for comparison, and the structures and thermal properties of alg-SAC0 and alg-SAC12 were evaluated using FTIR, (1)H NMR, and DSC. Calcium-hydrogel beads were formed from native and modified alginates, in which lipases were encapsulated with a load of averagely 76μg lipase per mg alginate, irrespective of the type of alginate. Lipases with a "lid", which usually are dependent on interfacial activation, showed a 3-fold increase in specific activity toward water-soluble substrates when encapsulated in alg-SAC12, compared to the free lipase. Such hyperactivation was not observed for lipases independent of interfacial activation, or for lipases encapsulated in native alginate or alg-SAC0 hydrogels.