Biothermal Analysis Performed In Organic Solvents

Abstract

A thermal assay probe (enzyme thermistor) was used to study the performance of enzymic analyses by immobilized enzymes in organic solvents and in mixtures of organic solvents and aqueous buffer. It was found that rather small amounts of alcohols (around 5 %, v/v) in the buffer approximately doubled the registered temperature changes for glucose oxidase and catalase, mainly by increasing the total enthalpy change of the reaction. the heat production for peroxidase catalyzed reactions was as much as 45 times higher in toluene compared to buffer. the advantage of increased substrate solubility in organic solvents was demonstrated by operating a lipase column in cyclohexane. All enzymes studied showed good stability in the organic solvents used.