The aim of the presented research was the preparation of an innovative carrier with significantly improved properties for the fast and sensitive detection of cholinesterase inhibitors such as nerve agents. This innovative carrier was in the form of spherical pellets containing different amounts of Neusilin. Neusilin is a synthetic and amorphous form of magnesium aluminometasilicate with a high specific surface area, and the immobilized enzyme butyrylcholinesterase with an activity of 50nkat·g-1. Pellets were prepared by the extrusion-spheronization method and dried in a hot air oven under two conditions - at 30°C for 72h and at 60°C for 24h. Dried pellets were consequently impregnated with a solution containing butyrylcholinesterase. Impregnated pellets were evaluated for their quality parameters, enzymatic activity and inhibition. Activity and inhibition were tested according to the standard Ellman's method. It was observed that the addition of Neusilin significantly increased the hardness, intraparticular porosity, sphericity and activity of the carriers as well as intensity of the color transition. Therefore it is shown that these carriers have unquestionable advantages over common carriers of their kind. Drying temperatures have been shown to have no effect on properties of pellets except for a change in their size. Results were confirmed by statistical evaluation using ANOVA and PCA.
Keywords: Detection; Immobilization; Neusilin; Pellets; Physostigmine; Sarin.
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