Sol-gel encapsulated enzyme

US5200334A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• Bruce S. Dunn · Schenectady, US
• Joan S. Valentine · Calabasas, US
• Jeffrey I. Zink · West Hollywood, US
• Lisa M. Ellerby · San Anselmo, US
• Fumito Nishida · Midland, US
• Clinton Nishida · Los Angeles, US
• Stacey A. Yamanaka · Windsor, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 13, 1991
• Grant date: Apr 6, 1993
• Expiry date: Aug 13, 2011

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N33/585
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An active biological material encapsulated in a glass is formed using a sol-gel process. A metal alkoxide is mixed with water and exposed to ultrasonic energy at a pH.ltoreq.2 to form a single phase solution which is then buffered to a pH between about 5 and 7. The buffered solution is then mixed with the active biological material and the resultant gel is aged and dried. The dried product is a transparent porous glass with substantially all of the added active biological material encapsulated therein, the biological material retaining a high level of activity.