Beta-propiolactone as an agent for enzyme sterilization

Abstract

SYNOPSIS A chemical method for the sterilization of pancreatin and trypsin is given. Evidence is presented to show that this treatment does not diminish the specific activity of the enzymes and has some advantages in microbiological techniques.Beta-propiolactone (BPL) is of value as a sterilizing agent because it causes negligible alteration to the antigenic structure of microorganisms (Sever, Castellano, Pelon, Huebner, and Wolman, 1964), and, since it is rapidly hydrolysed to beta-hydroxypropionic and beta-chloropionic acids, needs no subsequent removal (Peck, 1960