enzymatic degradation of poly (ε-caprolactone) and starch blends bontaining sio2 nanoparticle by amyloglucosidase and α-amylase

the aims of the study were to investigate the effect of poly(ε -caprolactone) (pcl) and nano- sio2 within the thermoplastic starch (tps) blends on the rate and extent of starch enzymatic hydrolysis using enzymes α-amylase and amyloglucosidase. the results of this study have revealed that blends with nano-sio2 content at 6 wt% exhibited a significantly reduced rate and extent of starch hydrolysis. the results suggest that this may have been attributed to interactions between starch and nano- sio2 that further prevented enzymatic attack on the remaining starch phases within the blend. the total solids that remained after 6000 min were 52 wt. % (tps: pcl); 59 wt.% (tps: pcl: 2% nano-sio2); 64 wt.% (tps: pcl: 4% nano-sio2); 67 wt.% (tps: pcl: 6% nano-sio2). the rate of glucose production from each nanocomposite substrates was most rapid for the substrate without nano- sio2 and decreased with the addition of nano- sio2, for tps: pcl blend (374 μg/ml.h), 246 μg/ml.h (tps: pcl: 2% nano- sio2), 217 μg/ml.h (tps: pcl: 4% nano- sio2) and 199 μg/ml.h for (tps: pcl: 6% nano- sio2). enzymatic degradation behaviour of tps: pcl: nano- sio2 was based on the determinations of water resistance, weight loss and the reducing sugars.