Urease loaded alginate microspheres for blood purification

Authors: Ciofani, Gianni¹; Cascone, Maria Grazia²; Serino, Lorenzo Pio²; Lazzeri, Luigi²

Source: Journal of Microencapsulation, Volume 25, Number 8, 2008 , pp. 569-576(8)

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Abstract:

In this paper a device, based on urease-loaded microspheres, is presented. The first task of this work was the optimization of a procedure for the alginate microspheres realization, having a radius as close as possible to the optimal one necessary to achieve the maximum enzyme exploitation. This optimal radius was calculated theoretically through a mathematical model which describes the concentration of substrate (urea) inside the microspheres on the assumption of a diffusion-reaction mechanism. The enzyme-loaded microspheres were successfully tested in a prototypal device aimed at the depletion of urea from a circulating fluid simulating blood flow: the results showed that urea concentration in the circulating fluid drops down to less than 25% of the initial value after 5 h.

Keywords: Enzyme immobilization; alginate microspheres; urease; extracorporeal device

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02652040802081227

Affiliations: 1: CRIM Lab, Center for Research In Microengineering, Pontedera, Italy 2: Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Industrial Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

Publication date: 2008-01-01

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