Crosslinked Biological Sorbents in Digestive Fluids
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crosslinked biological components lose functionality in digestive environments due to acidic conditions and protease activity, limiting their application to only partial digestive system exposure.
Innovation Solution
Development of crosslinked and supported biological components that maintain enhanced reactivity and stability through covalent bonding with a support matrix, using polyamines and crosslinking agents like triazine, which allows them to function effectively throughout the entire digestive system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If crosslinked biological components are used, then they can be separated from solution and reused, but they lose functionality in digestive environments due to acid and protease degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines biological components with synthetic polymer matrices (such as polyacrylonitrile, polyacrylic acid, or their copolymers) to create composite materials. The synthetic polymer provides resistance to digestive fluids while the biological component maintains its functional activity, resolving the contradiction between reusability and digestive stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical and physical parameters of the biological component through crosslinking with glutaraldehyde or other agents, and controlling molecular weight and crosslink density. These parameter changes enhance the biological component's resistance to proteases and acidic conditions while preserving its catalytic or binding function.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a sacrificial coating is applied to protect biological materials, then they are protected from digestive environment, but the biological materials cannot be active throughout the entire digestive system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a polymer matrix as an intermediary between the biological component and the digestive environment. This matrix selectively protects the biological component from harmful factors like proteases and acid while allowing substrate molecules to diffuse through and reach the active site, enabling both protection and continuous activity throughout the digestive system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs porous polymer matrices with controlled pore sizes that allow small substrate molecules to pass through while preventing the ingress of large protease molecules and acidic conditions. This porous structure enables the biological component to remain protected yet fully active throughout the digestive tract.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The immobilized biological components demonstrate increased resistance to degradation and enhanced activity in both acidic conditions and protease environments, maintaining functionality for extended periods, including in digestive fluids.
Implementation Method 1
crosslinked and supported biological components that maintain enhanced reactivity and stability through covalent bonding with a support matrix
Implementation Method 2
reactive and sorbent (e.g. adsorbing, absorbing, etc.) crosslinked and supported biological components
Data Source
AI summary
Reactive and sorbent materials including a non-encapsulated crosslinked biological material immobilized on a support matrix that includes a polyamine and at least one support material are described. The support material can be an inorganic or organic support material. The reactive and sorbent materials are formed by reacting the biological material with the polyamine, at least one support material, and a crosslinking agent. The materials exhibit enhanced properties generally, are capable of maintaining their reactive and sorbent properties in contact with digestive fluids, and exhibiting their reactive and sorbent properties as they pass throughout an organism's entire digestive system. Reactive and sorbent materials in contact with digestive juices at pH's ranging from about 3 to about 7 have maintained their reactive and sorbent properties for at least 4 hours.