Degradation of networks composed of chitosan and polyacrylamide by a crude enzyme complex from Bacillus subtilis

Abstract

The degradation of semi-interpenetrating and interpenetrating networks of chitosan and polyacrylamide - net-PAAm-s/pn-chitosan, net-chitosan-s/pn-PAAm and net-chitosan-net-PAAm, by a crude enzyme complex produced by the beneficial soil microorganism Bacillus subtilis was studied. The effect of the degree of crosslinking was examined under otherwise invariable conditions (pH 6, ionic strength I = 0.1, and 35°C). It was found that the lower the degree of crosslinking, the faster the enzymatic hydrolysis. Degradation of the three types of networks proceeded faster under the action of the enzyme complex from B. subtilis than by the enzymes from T. viride.