Influence of some aromatic amino acids on the swelling behavior of acrylamide/maleic acid hydrogel

Summary Influence of some aromatic amino acids (histidine, phenylalanine and tryptophan) on the swelling behavior of acrylamide/maleic acid hydrogel (AAm/MA) prepared by γ-radiation was investigated. Swelling tests of AAm/MA hydrogel were made in buffer solutions and amino acid solutions at various pH at 37°C. The pH values are ionization of α-carboxyl groups (pK'₁), α-amino groups (pK'₂) and, isoelectric points (pI) of amino acids. The swelling of AAm/MA hydrogel increased when pH values of solutions were increased. The value of equilibrium swelling of AAm/MA hydrogel was 1035% at pH 10 buffer, while it was 880% at pH 2 buffer. The values of equilibrium swelling of AAm/MA hydrogel in phenylalanine, tryptophan and histidine solutions varied among 1130–1245% at pH 10, while they were among 790–975% at pH 2. The rate constant of swelling, diffusional exponent, network parameter and, diffusion and intrinsic diffusion coefficient were calculated by swelling kinetics. Diffusion of the penetrants into the hydrogel was found to be non-Fickian character. The diffusion coefficients of the hydrogel varied between 3.33×10⁻⁶– 7.71×10⁻⁶ cm ²s⁻¹, while the intrinsic diffusion coefficients waried between 4.03×10⁻⁶– 8.48×10⁻⁶ cm ²s⁻¹. Received: 22 December 1997/Revised version: 3 March 1998/Accepted: 5 March 1998