Poly(acrylamide/maleic acid)–sepiolite composite hydrogels for immobilization of invertase

Poly(acrylamide/maleic acid) and sepiolite (PAMS) composite hydrogel was prepared and used for the immobilization of invertase. In FTIR analysis, the characteristic bands of composite such as –OH, –COOH, Si–OH show the evidence of sepiolite and maleic acid. In TGA analysis, water loss, decomposition of amide side groups and breakdown of main chain regions of the composite were found. The parameters of equilibrium swelling, initial swelling rate, diffusional exponent, and diffusion coefficient were calculated and evaluated from swelling experiments in distilled water. Invertase was immobilized onto PAMS by adsorption and poly(acrylamide/maleic acid)–sepiolite–invertase (PAMSI) was prepared. Optimum pH, optimum temperature values for free invertase and PAMSI were found. It was found that K _m values of free invertase and PAMSI were 11.3 and 34.1 mM, respectively. V _max value was found that 2.0 μmol min⁻¹ for free invertase and 13.9 μmol min⁻¹ for PAMSI, respectively. PAMSI showed excellent temperature, operational and storage stability.