A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF IMMOBILIZED BIOCATALYST IN LARGE QUANTITIES

The technique consists of breaking up a jet of the biocatalyst/presupport mixture in uniform droplets by means of a resonance technique. Entrapment of yeast and plant cells in calcium alginate has been used as the model. The production capacity of the nozzles used (0. 5, 0. 8 and 1. 1 mm exit diameters) is two orders of magnitude larger than the production capacity of the conventional techniques (maximum capacity with a 1. 1-mm nozzle diameter, is 24 L/hr). Depending on frequency, nozzle diameter, and volumetric flow rate, the bead size varies between 1 and 2 mm, with standard deviations of 3-5% for yeast immobilization and 10-15% for plant cells.