Multilayer immobilized‐enzyme filter reactors: Urease bound to nylon fabric filters

Abstract

Urease was bound to commercially available nonwoven nylon fabric filters. Multilayer immobilized-enzyme filter reactors were constructed by packing varying numbers of urease-nylon filters in a column. Owing to the relatively open structure and high mechanical strength of the filter fabric, compaction and pressure drop effects were minimal. The reactors could be operated in a wide range of substrate concentrations and flow rates under conditions where mass-transfer limitations could be neglected. The kinetic behavior of the immobilized-enzyme filter reactors could be described by a linear form of the integrated Michaelis-Menten equation using a model based on the sequential action of the enzyme filters.

Urease immobilized on nylon: preparation and properties

“…For the determination of urea [4], ureases immobilized on low molecular weight nylon powder, inside surface of nylon tubes and within the matrix of a nylon membrane have been separately employed. Further studies on the kinetic behaviour of multilayer urease-nonwoven nylon fabric reactor [5,6] and the effects of substratē owrate on immobilized urease [7] were reported. The present work describes the coupling of the urease on a cheap, non-biodegradable, commercial grade partially hydrolysed nylon tube 6/6 using glutaraldehyde as coupling agent.…”