Flow injection analysis of lactose using covalently immobilized beta-galactosidase, mutarotase, and glucose oxidase/peroxidase on a 2-fluoro-1-methylpyridinium salt-activated Fractogel support.

D Narinesingh, V A Stoute, G Davis, T T Ngo

Index: Anal. Biochem. 194(1) , 16-24, (1991)

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Abstract

Milk samples were analyzed for their lactose content using flow injection analysis and incorporating immobilized beta-galactosidase or beta-galactosidase/mutarotase and glucose oxidase/peroxidase bioreactors. These enzymes were immobilized, under mild conditions, on to a 2-fluoro-1-methylpyridinium salt-activated Fractogel support. The use of a phosphate buffer (0.15 M) was found to facilitate the rapid mutarotation of alpha-D-glucose and hence could obviate the need for the more expensive mutarotase. The chromogenic agents of choice for monitoring the reaction were 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone and 3-dimethylaminobenzoic acid. Linearity was observed over the concentration range 16-160 micrograms/ml using lactose standards (r = 0.996). Between 30 and 40 milk samples/h can be analyzed. Comparisons are made with existing HPLC and alkaline methylamine methods for a range of milk matrices. The FIA method consistently gives the lowest standard deviations and coefficient of variation for the various milk matrices analyzed.