The interaction of glutaraldehyde with poly(α,L-lysine), n-butylamine, and collagen. II. Hydrodynamic, electron microscopic, and optical investigations on the reaction products

✍ Scribed by M. K. Swenson; E. Meir; P. Yanai; B. Zvilichovsky; G. Blauer

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1975
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 636 KB
• Volume: 14
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0006-3525
• DOI: 10.1002/bip.1975.360141215

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Interactions of glutaraldehyde with either n‐butylamine, poly(α,L‐lysine), or collagen resulted in a fast release of protons in dilute aqueous solutions at various pH values, followed by much slower changes. The latter reactions, which extended over hours and days, were followed spectrophotometrically and revealed the formation of distinct absorption bands in the visible and near‐ultraviolet regions in all the above systems. The visible‐range bands disappeared upon treatment with sodium borohydride. A qualitative relationship between oxygen uptake by the system n‐butylamine–glutaraldehyde and the slow formation of colored products has been established, while the chemical nature of the reaction products has not been determined.

Sedimentation velocity, viscosity, and optical rotation measurements on the products of interaction between poly(L‐lysine) and glutaraldehyde in aqueous solution indicated large conformational changes in the polyamino acid present in excess (in residues) over the dialdehyde. In particular, the intrinsic viscosity dropped considerably after interaction, indicating intramolecular crosslinking. At molar ratios of 1:1 between polylsine residues and aldehyde groups, intermolecular crosslinking of polylysine was obtained at pH 8.6.

Electron microscopic examinations of collagen samples treated by glutaraldehyde at various pH values indicated changes from unordered to more ordered structures upon treatment with glutaraldehyde, in particular at pH 10.

The present structural and optical investigations are considered to be relevant to tanning processes of hides and to fixation procedures.