The Research and development sector of Sea Marconi is constantly engaged in formulating new types of functionalised nanosponges directed toward biotechnologies, enzymatic catalyses and, in particular, new methods of conversion of biofuels from microalgae (European project FP7-SME-2008-2-AG-243752-BioAlgaeSorb, http://www.bioalgaesorb.com/).
Some results, relative to
work done in collaboration with the University of Turin, have been recently published on authoritative international scientific journals:
2) Dalton Trans. 2009 Sep 7;(33):6507-12. Epub 2009 Jul 14.
Catalytic properties of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from Acinetobacter radioresistent S13 immobilized on nanosponges.
Di Nardo G.1, Roggero C.2, Campolongo S.1, Valetti F.1, Trotta F.3, Gilardi G.1.
1Department of Human and Animal Biology, University of Torino, via Accademia Albertina 12, 10123, Torino, Italy.
2Sea Marconi Technologies S. a. s., Via Ungheria 20, 10093 Collegno (TO), Italy
3Department of Chemistry IFM, University of Turin, Via Pietro Giuria 7, 10125 Turin, Italy
Abstract of the article
The catechol 1.2 dioxygenase enzyme contains iron and it is capable of converting the catechol into cis, cis-muconate, a forerunner of adipic acid (compound largely used industrially for the production of nylon).o The enzyme has been loaded on a type of functionalised nanosponge by Sea Marconi (reticulated beta cyclodextrin) forming a complex through which the catechol solution has been percolated. The presence of nanosponges did not deactivate the enzyme, which, on the contrary, has been protected from the increments of temperature and pH, extending its useful life up to 70 days. With this work, the validity of nanosponges as a support in the activity of enzymatic catalysis has been demonstrated, in particular for biofuels.
