Hydrolysis and analysis of simple sugars using smart fibers from subterranean termites for biofuel production

The development of smart fibers as affinity membranes is of recent interest due to the study of enzyme activity in biological processes. Poly (N-vinylcaprolactam) [PVCL] and cellulose fiber mats have been fabricated to study the hydrolysis of biological entities such as cellulase enzymes. PVCL is a water soluble, thermally sensitive, biocompatible polymer that undergoes a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) or cloudy point. PVCL-cellulose [PVCL-CELL] fibers, and conjugated with fluorescent 5-(4, 6-dicholorotrazinyl)-aminoflourescein[DTAF] and analyzed using para-hydrobenzoic acid hydrazine [PHBH]. PVCL-CELL fibers were fed to Reticulitermes species (sp) subterranean termites and simple sugar production was examined. Using absorbance measurements, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), fluorescent microscopy, thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), enzymes such as cellulase and simple sugars were identified and analyzed upon the hydrolysis of PVCL-CELL fibers. Upon incubation at 26.5°C, minimal sugar content was produced using PVCL-CELL fibers. However at 50°C, a two fold increase of glucose was produced.