Preparation and Characterization of Regenerated Cellulose Microspheres and the Adsorption of Pectinase

• Published in: Bioresources Vol. 11; no. 2; pp. 4146 - 4158
• Main Authors: Wu, Rina, Huang, Pengfei, He, Beihai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: North Carolina State University 01.05.2016
• Subjects: Adsorption; Cellulose; Enzymes; Isotherm; Kinetics; Pectinase
• ISSN: 1930-2126; 1930-2126
• DOI: 10.15376/biores.11.2.4146-4158

Porous cellulose beads were prepared through a simple, facile, and inexpensive method. The resultant microspheres exhibited good spherical shape with a diameter of 1 to 2 mm. Their morphology, pore structure, and physical properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and nitrogen adsorption. The regenerated cellulose was shown by scanning electron microscopy images to have a three-dimensional porous structure, which led to a BET surface area as large as 108 m2/g. These qualities make the beads potentially useful as adsorbents or carriers. The beads remained in the cellulose I structure. Finally, the cellulose beads were tested for the adsorption of pectinase; adsorption was a favorable spontaneous process. Moreover, adsorption was in agreement with the Langmuir isotherm with a capacity of 7.40 mg/g, signifying that pectinase adsorption was a monolayer sorption. Adsorption followed an intraparticle diffusion kinetic model, indicating that intraparticle diffusion was the rate-controlling mechanism. This information will aid in the potential utilization of regenerated cellulose microspheres as supports for pectinase.