ABSTRACT
The use of immobilized biocatalysts has revealed that solid supports for immobilization of the biocatalyst are not the ideal choice under all circumstances. If aqueous solutions of two different water soluble polymers are mixed with each other, the mixture will often be turbid. The distribution of a substance in a two-phase system is mainly dependent on the properties of the phase constituents and of the substance to be partitioned, among other parameters. Microbial cellulolytic enzyme systems are strongly inhibited by their endproducts cellobiose and glucose. The fermentative production of acetone-butanol is a very good example of a fermentation which is severely inhibited by product formation. The possibility of varying the phase components has not been stressed, but as is indicated in the introductory comments on the phase systems, it is possible to modify the partitioning pattern by changing several parameters.
