Enzymatic degradation of Poly (ε-Caprolactone) and Starch blends bontaining SiO2 nanoparticle by Amyloglucosidase and α-Amylase

Document Type : Reasearch Paper

Authors

• Z. Abbasi ¹
• E. Rezaee Nezhad ²
• V. Moradi ¹
• F. Moradi ¹
• O. Ahmadi ¹
• A. Homafar ³

¹ Young Researchers and Elite Club, Ilam Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ilam, Iran.

² Department of Chemistry, Payame Noor University, PO BOX 19395-4697 Tehran, Iran.

³ Department of Chemistry, Eyvan-e-Gharb Branch, Islamic Azad University, Eyvan, Iran.

10.7508/ijnd.2014.06.006

Abstract

The aims of the study were to investigate the effect of poly(ε -caprolactone) (PCL) and nano- SiO₂ within the thermoplastic starch (TPS) blends on the rate and extent of starch enzymatic hydrolysis using enzymes α-amylase and amyloglucosidase. The results of this study have revealed that blends with nano-SiO₂ content at 6 wt% exhibited a significantly reduced rate and extent of starch hydrolysis. The results suggest that this may have been attributed to interactions between starch and nano- SiO₂ that further prevented enzymatic attack on the remaining starch phases within the blend. The total solids that remained after 6000 min were 52 wt. % (TPS: PCL); 59 wt.% (TPS: PCL: 2% nano-SiO₂); 64 wt.% (TPS: PCL: 4% nano-SiO₂); 67 wt.% (TPS: PCL: 6% nano-SiO₂). The rate of glucose production from each nanocomposite substrates was most rapid for the substrate without nano- SiO₂ and decreased with the addition of nano- SiO₂, for TPS: PCL blend (374 μg/ml.h), 246 μg/ml.h (TPS: PCL: 2% nano- SiO₂), 217 μg/ml.h (TPS: PCL: 4% nano- SiO₂) and 199 μg/ml.h for (TPS: PCL: 6% nano- SiO₂). Enzymatic degradation behaviour of TPS: PCL: nano- SiO₂ was based on the determinations of Water resistance, Weight loss and the Reducing sugars.

Keywords

• Nanocomposites
• Polymer composites
• Biodegradable polymers
• Water resistance
• Reducing sugars

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