Kinetic and equilibrium studies of adsorption of β-glucuronidase by clinoptilolite-rich minerals

Abstract

The adsorption of the bacterial β-glucuronidase (GUS) enzyme, which is thought to be responsible for the production of reactive metabolites related to some diseases and cancer development, by clinoptilolite-rich mineral was investigated. Batch experiments were performed to analyze of the effects of the clinoptilolite amount and particle size, initial GUS concentration, shaking rate, pH and temperature on the adsorption equilibrium and kinetics. Adsorption equilibrium data were interpreted in terms of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms; and they were well represented by the Langmuir isotherm model. The percentage of GUS removal by the clinoptilolite-rich mineral was changed in the range of 9.4-54.4% depending on its initial concentration. The kinetic data were analyzed using external film diffusion, intraparticle diffusion, pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models and both external film and intraparticle diffusion appeared to be effective in GUS adsorption. Thermodynamic studies indicated that GUS adsorption is exothermic, physical and spontaneous at the temperatures investigated (288-310 K)