Exploaterings Aktiebolaget T.b.f.

Jan-Christer Janson

Jerker Olof Porath

The present invention relates to agar products for separation purposes, e.g. in biochemistry, and a method for preparing such a product. The product is chiefly characterized in that the agar or gel forming fractions prepared from agar is preferably bead-shaped and is made by cross-linking to be practically completely insoluble in water and strong alkali and, if desired, is also made practically sulfate-free by wholly or partially freeing it of carboxyl ions giving it a very small capacity to adsorb basic matter. If desired, it can also be coupled to an enzyme or protein component. The method is basically characterized by treating the agar- or agarose particles in an aqueous slurry with e.g. epihydrin or similar substances whereby the reagent can, if desired, be dissolved in an organic solvent and the reaction is carried out in an alkaline milieu in the absence of oxygen and/or, if desired, in the presence of strongly reducing matter. The sulfate content in the product may then be lowered by alkaline hydrolysis, also under oxygen-free conditions, until the product's adsorption capacity for basic substances has decreased to or under the desired level. The product can then be decarboxylated, if desired.

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Uppsala, Sweden

Jan-Christer Janson