ScienceAsia 29 (2003): 297-300 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.2003.29.297

A New Assay for the Enzymatic Degradation of Polylactic Acid

Virun Vichaibun and Montri Chulavatnatol^*

ABSTRACT: A new fluorescent assay for the degradation of polylactic acid was developed based on the reaction of the carboxyl groups of lactic acid and its soluble polymers with a fluorescent agent, o-phthalaldehyde, in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide. The assay was used to show polylactic acid degradation catalyzed by proteinase K, subtilisin Carlsberg and subtilisin BPN'. The proteolytic degradation was shown to be activated or inhibited by the presence of detergent.

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Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.

* Corresponding author, Email: scmcl@mahidol.ac.th

Received 30 Jan 2003, Accepted 23 Apr 2003