Abstract: Immobilized enzymes or microorganisms are prepared by dispersing lumps of ice containing an enzyme or microorganism in an organic solvent having a water-insoluble high-molecular weight substance dissolved therein, and then removing the organic solvent to entrap the ice lumps in the water-insoluble high-molecular weight substance. Deactivation of the enzyme or microorganism by the organic solvent is prevented by the enzyme or microorganism being entrapped in the lumps of ice.

Abstract: Enzymes and/or bacteria cells are immobilized by forming an aqueous mixture of enzymes and/or bacteria cells and a hydrophobic, vitrifiable monomer in an amount of at least 76% by weight of all monomers present, and irradiating the mixture by means of ionizing radiation at a temperature less than -10.degree. C. to polymerize the monomer.

Abstract: Enzymes are immobilized by dissolving in water a photo-crosslinking resin containing stilbazolium groups, vinyl alcohol units and vinyl acetate units, adding an enzyme to the resultant aqueous solution and exposing the enzyme-containing resin solution to light to induce a crosslinking reaction of the photo-crosslinking resin and produce a polymer containing the enzyme entrapped therein.

Abstract: Catalysts of various types, preferably enzymes, are immobilized on hollow fiber membranes in novel way to provide a new system for performing catalytic reactions. In preferred embodiments, novel processes for catalyzing reactions utilizing hollow fiber techniques are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to enzymatic compositions containing intra-cellular glucose-isomerase which is enclosed in structures based on cellulose ester, their preparation and their use for isomerizing glucose into levulose.In addition to the cellulose ester and micro-organism cells, e.g. Streptomyces phaeochromogenes, these compositions contain a sparingly water-soluble magnesium compound and optionally a sparingly water-soluble cobalt compound.These compositions make it possible to isomerize glucose into levulose in a continuous process, with the addition of either no, or a small amount of magnesium ions to the glucose syrup to be isomerized and without the addition of cobalt ions.

Abstract: A blood detoxification apparatus comprises a housing filled with a plurality of substantially spherical reaction bodies. Each reaction body comprises an embedding material and active ingredient particles such as adsorbents and/or enzymes embedded in the embedding material which is blood compatible but nonpermeable for corpuscular blood components. The active ingredients may have a dust or powder or granular consistency but are substantially smaller in diameter than the reaction bodies which may be distributed in layers in said housing whereby the active ingredients in different layers may be different.

Abstract: An enzyme catalyst is described. The catalyst comprises subcellular particulates of vegetable material containing an enzyme system composed of different carbohydrate transforming enzymes. These particulates are encapsulated within a matrix formed by coagulating an organic entrapping agent with polyvalent cations. The matrix is permeable to permit access of carbohydrate substrate to enzyme and acts to immobilize the enzyme system and preserve the activity of the encapsulated enzymes.

Abstract: Semipermeable microcapsules are employed as a medium to chromatographically separate mixtures of solutes. The microcapsules comprise membranes having a selected upper limit of permeability and contain a filler material capable of maintaining the membranes in a distended position. In use, the capsules are packed in a column and equilibrated with the solvent of the mixture to be separated. Components in the mixture are separated when passed through the column on the basis of their molecular diameter. The material is well suited for resolving components of a mixture of solutes in the 100-5000 molecular weight range.In another embodiment, a specific binding substance such as an antibody is confined within capsule membranes permeable to the antibody's complementary antigen to produce a material useful in affinity chromatography.

Abstract: A process for immobilizing a biological material which can be a protein, a coenzyme having at least one primary or secondary amino group per molecule, an admixture of said coenzyme and an enzyme which is mediated by said coenzyme, or an antibiotic having at least one primary or secondary amino group per molecule, wherein the biological material is contacted with an excess of an isocyanate-capped liquid polyurethane prepolymer in the absence of water, and the resulting mixture is cured by contacting it with a curing agent to cure the prepolymer and to immobilize the biological material. The resulting mixture can be cured under foam-forming conditions or under nonfoam-forming conditions. The resulting mixture can be formed into a predetermined shape before or during curing or coated onto a surface before or during curing.

Abstract: A method for activating immobilized living microorganisms applied to transformations of steroids, antibiotics and other compounds characterized by the addition of peptone, glucose or a mixture of peptone and glucose to the reaction mixture.

Abstract: A novel protein adsorbent consisting essentially of a porous copolymer obtained by copolymerizing a monomer mixture comprising at least one cyano group-containing monomer and at least one cross-linkable monomer, said copolymer having an average pore diameter (d) of from 40 A to 9,000 A and a total pore volume of from 0.05.sqroot.X ml to 1.5.sqroot.X ml per gram of the copolymer in a dry state, in which X designates the weight proportion of said cross-linkable monomer expressed in terms of the percent by weight based on the total monomers. The present porous copolymer adsorbent has a remarkably high protein adsorbing capacity. The adorbent can advantageously be used for various purposes such as purification and separation of proteins, and removal of proteins. Copolymer-protein composites obtained by adsorption of proteins on the present porous copolymer also are industrially useful and have a wide variety of applications.

Abstract: A process for immobilizing a biological material which can be a protein, a coenzyme having at least one primary or secondary amino group per molecule, an admixture of said coenzyme and an enzyme which is mediated by said coenzyme, or an antibiotic having at least one primary or secondary amino group per molecule, wherein the biological material is contacted with an excess of an isocyanate-capped liquid polyurethane prepolymer in the absence of water, and the resulting mixture is cured by contacting it with a curing agent to cure the prepolymer and to immobilize the biological material. The resulting mixture can be cured under foam-forming conditions or under nonfoam-forming conditions. The resulting mixture can be formed into a predetermined shape before or during curing or coated onto a surface before or during curing.

Abstract: A reagent for an immunological determination comprising water insoluble latex particles being formed from vinyl polymerizates and having free terminal functional groups of the formula: ##STR1## through which are bound an immunologically active material including materials for preparing this reagent and for utilizing this reagent for diagnostic purposes. The latex particles contain a core and an outer layer, said core being formed by polymerization of vinyl, or diene monomers or mixtures thereof with said polymerizates in said core carrying a functional group selected from group consisting of carboxyl, sulfonate or mixtures thereof and said outer layer being formed from vinyl polymerizates carrying said terminal functional group.

Abstract: Enzymes are adsorbed on an adsorbent powder in an aqueous medium and a water-miscible monomer is added thereto, and said monomer is polymerized to form a porous gel lump through which a substrate solution can freely pass. The thus formed enzyme composition has long-lasting activity and thus the enzymes can be easily separated from the reaction system and can be used repeatedly.

Abstract: Immobilized enzyme compositions for industrial use are produced by reacting an enzyme and/or enzyme-containing microorganism cells with an anion-exchange high molecular substance having a quaternary pyridine ring in the molecule, and then subjecting the reaction products to molding and drying in a molding machine. A polyfunctional crosslinking agent may be added at any stage of the process. The immobilized enzyme compositions thus prepared can be packed in a reactor of an industrial scale for continuous enzyme reaction.

Abstract: A luminous material includes a carrier and luminous bacteria dispersed in, admixed with, confined in or applied to the carrier, the material being useful in fishery, particularly as a fish bait.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for generating a multiple phase dispersion and distributing said multiple phase dispersion as globules in a suspension phase. The apparatus comprises a conduit for introducing a first fluid under pressure into a first zone including a porous fluid dispersing layer. This first zone is in fluid communication with a second zone through the porous fluid dispersing layer. The second zone has introduced into it a second fluid under pressure through inlets. The first fluid is dispersed as bubble-like micro droplets in the second fluid by passage from the first zone through the fluid dispersing layer into the fluid in the second zone. An outlet zone is in contact with the second zone and comprises a perforated nonporous layer having an outer and inner surface and includes a porous flow distribution layer substantially in contact with the inner second zone facing surface of the nonporous layer.

Abstract: A method for immobilizing enzymes or microbial cells which comprises the steps of uniformly mixing an aqueous dispersion of enzymes or microbial cells with a photo-curable resin having a number average molecular weight of 800 to 100,000, two or more photopolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated groups per molecule and hydrophilic groups, and irradiating actinic rays to the above mixture of photo-curable resin and enzymes or microbial cells. The immobilized product is advantageously used in various enzymatic reactions with stable enzyme activity.

Abstract: A protein which can be an enzyme is immobilized by: (a) admixing the protein and an isocyanate-capped liquid polyurethane prepolymer to form an intermediate product; and (b) foaming the intermediate product by reacting it with water to form a polyurethane foam comprising the immobilized enzyme.

Abstract: This invention relates to polymer composition having fixed bacterial cells and/or fixed enzyme, in which the enzyme or cells are dispersed within the polymer. The polymer composition is prepared by mixing an aqueous enzyme solution or an aqueous dispersion of bacterial cells with one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxypropyl methacrylate and hydroxypropyl acrylate and then polymerizing or copolymerizing the monomer(s) contained in the mixture by means of ionizing radiation at a temperature at which water in the mixture is frozen.

Abstract: A porous polymer containing immobilized enzymes or bacteria cells is prepared by forming a mixture of enzymes or bacteria cells and a monomer having the formulae ##STR1## wherein X is hydrogen or methyl; R is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, ##STR2## or --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, R' is alkyl or hydrogen; n is integer of 2 or more and m is integer of 4 or more, or mixture of such monomers; and then polymerizing or copolymerizing the monomer(s) in the mixture at a temperature of less than 0.degree. C. by means of ionizing radiation.

Abstract: The disclosed method involves adding a crosslinking reagent to mycelia which contain enzymes, freezing the mixture and then thawing the frozen mycelia. The resulting gelation immobilizes the intracellular enzyme in the mycelia. The gel may be used in the enzyme industry as a highly active enzyme preparation.

Abstract: An article, primarily for use in detergent compositions, comprising an enzyme dispersed in a water-soluble resin film. Plasticizers, suds modifiers, solids, and surface-active agents may also be dispersed in said article.

Abstract: Proteins such as enzymes are immobilized on a microporous member comprising a binder or matrix and finely divided filler particles dispersed throughout the binder. The proteins are coupled to the filler particles, and the microporous member has a relatively large surface area and a large number of available protein coupling sites. Enzymes coupled to the microporous member have a relatively high reaction efficiency when used to act on a substrate.

Abstract: Pressure-driven affinity sorption membranes are prepared from a membrane filter composed of an insoluble matrix polymer or an interpolymer composite and used for separation and purification by passing therethrough solutions containing mixtures, one or more of which forms a specific complex with the ligand on the pore surface of the membrane, washing out the uncoupled solutes, then employing an appropriate displacing or eluting agent to recover the desired component in a pure and concentrated state, all under pressure-driven conditions.