Chemoenzymatical grafting of acrylamide onto lignin

Laccase (E.C.1.10.3.2.) from white-rot basidiomycete Trametes versicolor and dioxane peroxides were essential in the copolymerization of acrylamide and a derivative with lignin in a dioxane-H2O (7:3) mixture. Both a solubility test and an elemental analysis of the eluted and separated fractions provided evidence of grafting. Gel permeation chromatography on Sephadex G-100 showed that the side chain and the lignin backbone migrate as one unit through the column. Copolymers obtained were characterized by UV-VIS-spectroscopy as well as FT-IR, and C-13-CPMAS-NMR spectroscopy. Freeze-dried copolymers of lignin and acrylamide appeared as homogeneous fibril-like particulate. The mechanism of the enzymatical grafting is discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.