• Journal of Life Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 1999

Seaweed alginate was acetylated by activated carbon immobilized Pseudomonas syringae in a fluidized bed, up-flow reactor. The acetylation degree of seaweed alginate was about 30%. Calcium-acetylated seaweed alginate gel bead was made and compared to calcium-seaweed alginate gel bead by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Structural difference of two gel beads may results from increased viscosity and decreased affinity of acetylated seaweed alginate for calcium ion. On the basis of interior and exterior structure of calcium-acetylated seaweed alginate gels and property of acetylated seaweed alginate, it seems that acetylated seaweed alginate is used for the supporter for electrophoresis and packing materials for liquid chromatography and gel filtration.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.715-721
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• 2007

In this study, the sphericity of calcium alginate gel beads was optimized using response surface methodology. The optimum conditions for bead sphericity were a concentration of 2.24% sodium alginate, a flow rate of 0.059 mL/sec for the sodium alginate solution, and a 459 rpm rotation for the calcium chloride solution. The predicted and experimental bead sphericities under the optimum conditions were 94.5 and 96.7%, respectively, showing close agreement. We also investigated the processing condition effects for the physical properties of the optimized calcium alginate gel beads. Immersion in hot water slightly decreased bead size and rupture strength. NaCl treatment increased bead size and decreased rupture strength. While the pH of the calcium chloride solution had little effect on bead sphericity, the bead sizes and gel strengths decreased with longer times in each pH solution. The beads coated with pectin and glucomannan showed no significant changes in sphericity, but their sizes decreased with time. The coated beads showed higher rupture strengths than the uncoated beads.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.153-161
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• 1995

Alginic acid is a hydrophilic , colloidal polysaccharide obtained from cell wall of seaweed or brown algae and has a broad range of applications. Alginlc acid becomes alginate gel bead due to its cation-induced gelation. Dried alginate beads can be reswollen according to environmental pH. The purpose of this paper is to explore the possible applicability of alginate beads as an oral controlled release system of ibuprofen. In this experiment ibuprofen was incorporated in alginate beads and alginate beads were treated with various methods. Ibuprofen release from alginate beads in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) was laster than in distilled water and dilute HCl. The release of ibuprofen was more sustained in bead than simple mixture and coprecipitate of ibuprofen and sodium alginate. The dissolution rate of ibuprofen was decreased in using of bead that hardened with formaldehyde. The dissolution rate of the drug from the bead was the fastest in 12 hour dried beads, 1.5%-sodium alginate concentration and 1%-calcium chloride concentration. Sodium alginate bead can be used as a sustaind release drug delivery system of water-insoluble drugs.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.157-164
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• 2007

Microencapsulation of cells within microfluidic devices enables explicit control of the membrane thickness or cell density, resulting in improved viability of the transplanted cells within an aggressive immune system. In this study, living cells (3T3 and L929 fibroblast cells) are encapsulated within a semi-permeable membrane (calcium crosslinked alginate gel) in two different device designs, a flow focusing and a core-annular flow focusing geometry. These two device designs produce a bead and a long microfibre, respectively. For the alginate bead, an alginate aqueous solution incorporating cells flows through a flow focusing channel and an alginate droplet is formed from the balance of interfacial forces and viscous drag forces resulting from the continuous (oil) phase flowing past the alginate solution. It immediately reacts with an adjacent $CaCl_2$ drop that is extruded into the main flow channel by another flow focusing channel downstream of the site of alginate drop creation. Depending on the flow conditions, monodisperse microbeads of sizes ranging from $50-200\;{\mu}m$ can be produced. In the case of the microfibre, the alginate solution with cells is extruded into a continuous phase of $CaCl_2$ solution. The diameter of alginate fibres produced via this technique can be tightly controlled by changing both flow rates. Cell viability in both forms of alginate encapsulant was confirmed by a LIVE/DEAD cell assay for periods of up to 24 hours post encapsulation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.412-417
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• 2001

Sodium alginate was used to immobilize Bifidobacterium breve ATCC 15700 cells. The ability of the Ca-alginate beads to protect the B. breve ATCC 15700 was evaluated under different conditions including alginate concentration, bead size, pH, hydrogen peroxide, and storage period. The survival of the B. Breve ATCC 15700 was estimated in pasteurized yogurt, containing either the immobilized or free cells, throughout the storage period. The survival cells in bead after exposure to acidic solution (pH 3.0) increased with increase of both the alginate gel concentration and bead size. Also, immobilized cells in alginate bead were more resistant than the free cells to hydrogen peroxide, storage period, and the environment inside yogur. When retreated beads with skim milk and nonretreated beads were tested in acidified pH 3.0 TPY media including acetic and lactic acid, the number of viable cells in the retreated bead was approximately 10-fold higher than that of nonretreated beads. This suggests that the skim milk operated as a material decreasing the diffusion of acid and hydrogen perosicde into alginate gels. From this research, it was found that yogurt itself supported immobilized cells with an improved protection from the extreme acidity in yogurt.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.97-105
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• 2001

The viability of Bifidobacterium longum KCTC 3128, entrapped in calcium alginate beds in simulated gastroenteric juices (gastric and bile salt solution), was tested to evaluate the influences of several parameters (gel concentration, bead size, and initial cell number). The death rate of B. longum in beads after being sequentially exposed to simulated gastric juices and bile salt solution decreased propertionally with increasing both the alginate gel concentration and bead size. The number of initial cell loading in beads affected the numbers of survivors after being exposed to these solutions, while the death rate of the viable cells were not affected. From the results obtained, the influence of entrapment parameters on the survival of bifidobacteria was quantitatively and systematically evaluated by using a mathematical method.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.266-271
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• 1993

The effective diffusion coefficients of glucose, sucrose and fructo-oligosaccharides in Ca-alginate gel beads at high concentration of sucrose solutions were investigated at $50^{\circ}C$. A mathematical model for the kinetics of fructo-oligosaccharide production using immobilized cells was proposed and compared with experimental results varying the bead size, the substrate concentration and the bead ratio. Very low values of diffusion coefficients ranging $1.2-7.6\times10^{-7}\textrm{cm}^2$/sec were obtained, and the predicted results were in good agreement with experimental ones in all cases tested.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 1986

Immobilized Candida lipolytica cells were prepared by entrapping the whole cells in calcium alginate gel. To enhance citric acid productivity, immobilized cells were Incubated with activation medium in fluidized-bed reactors. When the activation was done in batch operation, maximum citric acid productivity appeared in a much shorter time than in continuous operation. Activated immobilized cells were enhanced about 10-fold in citric acid production relative to non-activated immobilized cells. The productivity of citric acid was also influenced by bead size. When Immobilized cells were reacted in a fluidized-bed reactor with the same quantity of cells, the citric acid productivity was increased as the bead size was decreased.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.208-214
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• 1999

The condition for immobilization of the partially purified agarase from Bacillus cereus ASK202 and the properties of the immobilized enzyme have been investigated. Agarase was immobilized on various supports by entrapment method. The enzyme immobilized on Na-alginate bead showed the highest activity among those studied. The optimal reaction conditions of the immobilized agarase were obtained in 3%(w/v) Na-alginate for the matrix, bead diameter of 2.5mm, 1 unit of agarase solution and 1.0%(w/v) calcium chloride solution. The optimum pH and temperature of the immobilized agarase were pH and temperature of the immobilized agarase were pH 7.0 and 4$0^{\circ}C$, respectively. Km and Vmax values were 0.5mg/ml.min, respectively. The immobilized agarase conerted agar to agarobiose, and their total conversion ratio under the optimal condition was 89%.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.247.1-247.1
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• 2003

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional problem worldwide. Oral iron supplementation programs have failed because of noncompliance and gastrointestinal toxicity. The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility of alginate gel bead as an oral controlled release system of iron supplements and increase the stability of iron succinyl casein (ISC). Alginate beads containing ISC were prepared by the gelation of sodium alginate with calcium cations. The release profiles of ISC were investigated according to the concentration of polymer, the drug/sodium alginate ratio, the concentration and type of cation, curing time and pH of calcium chloride solution. (omitted)