Current and future trends on polymer-based enzyme immobilization

Abstract

Enzymes (nature’s catalysts) have been the crucial partner in various human activities, from daily chores to commercial market. It has been well validated now that enzymes have the solutions for every problem ranging from clinical, industrial, environmental, physiological, etc. The best alluring aspect of enzymes is that they can perform actions under mild conditions with a very high degree of substrate specificity with least generation of by-products. However, their utilization for various applications has been limited due to their relative instability and their high costs of isolation. Enzyme immobilization has found solution to this problem as it allows reusability of enzymes in addition to its stability, activity, inhibition by reaction products, and selectivity toward nonnatural substrates. Thorough studies have been going on across the world to look for excellent matrices for enzyme immobilization as well regular improvisation of immobilization techniques to obtain immobilized enzyme with excellent physicochemical properties. The parameters like matrix properties, including mean particle diameter, swelling behavior, mechanical strength, compression behavior, and surface area, have been most critical in determining the performance of immobilized enzymes. These parameters are useful in designing correct bioreactor for any given large-scale industrial processes. The present chapter has provided a summary on the wide range of polymeric matrices and their utilization for enzyme immobilization for various industrial applications. © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.