Selective isolation of trypsin inhibitor and lectin from soybean whey by chitosan/tripolyphosphate/genipin co-crosslinked beads

Selective isolation of Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI) and lectin from soybean whey solutions by different types of chitosan beads was investigated. The chitosan beads were co-crosslinked with tripolyphosphate/genipin in solutions at pH 5, 7 or 9 (CB5, CB7, CB9). The maximum adsorption ratios of chitosan beads to KTI and lectin were observed at pH 4.4 and 5.4, respectively; highly selective separation was also demonstrated at these pHs. The adsorption ratios increased with temperature, rising between 5 and 25 °C. CB9 produced the best adsorption ratio, followed by CB7 then CB5. The critical interaction governing absorption of chitosan beads to KTI and lectin could be hydrogen bonding. At pH 9, KTI and lectin desorbed efficiently from CB7 with desorption ratios of 80.9% and 81.4%, respectively. The desorption was most likely caused predominantly by electrostatic repulsion. KTI and lectin can effectively be selectively isolated from soybean whey using this novel separation technique.