A General Overview of Support Materials for Enzyme Immobilization: Characteristics, Properties, Practical Utility

Abstract

In recent years, enzyme immobilization has been presented as a powerful tool for the improvement of enzyme properties such as stability and reusability. However, the type of support material used plays a crucial role in the immobilization process due to the strong effect of these materials on the properties of the produced catalytic system. A large variety of inorganic and organic as well as hybrid and composite materials may be used as stable and efficient supports for biocatalysts. This review provides a general overview of the characteristics and properties of the materials applied for enzyme immobilization. For the purposes of this literature study, support materials are divided into two main groups, called Classic and New materials. The review will be useful in selection of appropriate support materials with tailored properties for the production of highly effective biocatalytic systems for use in various processes.

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“…Carbohydrate scaffolds such as chitosan, cellulose, agar‐agar and alginates, and derivatives thereof, are industrially employed immobilization matrices for enzymes and peptides anchored at high surface densities (Amalraj, Gopi, Thomas, & Haponiuk, ; Bilal & Iqbal, ; Seabra, Bernardes, Fávaro, Paula, & Durán, ; Zdarta, Meyer, Jesionowski, & Pinelo, ). Among those, especially cellulose nanocrystal formulations are being tested for multifunctional layouts, for instance in biomedical and nutraceutical products (Amalraj et al, ; Seabra et al, ; Sharma, Thakur, Bhattacharya, Mandal, & Goswami, ).…”

Polymer supports for the removal and degradation of hazardous organic pollutants: an overview

“…The choice of a suitable support for immobilization is one of the most important aspects for obtaining excellent properties in a biocatalytic system . This is due to the significant effect of the properties of the carrier, such as porosity, size, shape, type of spacer used, immobilization surface and chemical reactivity, on the catalytic, chemical and physical properties of the immobilized enzyme system . The influence of the support on the enzyme is attributed to its being in direct contact with the enzyme by modifying its microenvironment and generating modifications in its structure and stability …”

“…The main advantage of the use of synthetic polymers for enzymatic immobilization is that a polymer with the desired characteristics can be designed for any need. However, the design and synthesis of polymers are, in some cases, expensive and time‐consuming processes . In the case of synthetic polymers, the correct selection of the monomers used during polymerization is very important since it determines the characteristics of the polymer.…”

“…Although it is known that there is no suitable support for all the enzymes and their applications, there are some characteristics in the supports that favor the conservation or increase of the activity, selectivity and stability of the immobilized enzymes. Some of the desired physical and chemical properties in the support for enzymatic immobilization include inertness, biocompatibility, mechanical and chemical stability, affinity for the enzyme, nontoxicity, ability to reduce inhibition problems, availability, low cost and high reactivity towards the immobilization . Because it is not possible to have a support that meets all the optimal properties for enzymatic immobilization, many authors have focused solely on the selection of the properties necessary for its application .…”

“…In this context, a large variety of polymers have been used as support matrices, generating novel preparations with excellent mechanical, thermal and biochemical properties, suitable for bioremediation uses . The versatility of polymers is thus key to obtaining the desired carrier as well as providing different properties to the immobilized enzyme according to the immobilization method used and the kind of polymer–enzyme interaction selected …”