Hydrophobic esters of cellulose: properties and applications in biochemical technology.

We have investigated the utility for enzyme immobilization of several hydrophobic cellulose esters, as a function of solvent composition, extent of esterification, and enzyme. Phenoxyacetyl cellulose was also used for immobilization of rat liver microsomes, hydrophobic chromatography of proteins, and removal of Triton X-100 from protein solutions. Phenoxyacetyl groups esterified to cellulose were much less subject to enzymatic hydrolysis than soluble phenoxyacetyl esters.