Current Advances in Immobilization Techniques of Enzymes

Enzymes are biological catalysts that accelerate the rate of a reaction without themselves being consumed. They sustain their activity for long periods of time and therefore are widely used in industrial processes. Enzymes contribute to approximately 28% of the operating cost of a production process; however, in most of the cases, the enzymes involved in production processes cannot be retrieved. Enzyme immobilisation is the process of attaching an enzyme molecule to a solid support with the intentions of its reuse, production and purification. Proper immobilisation of an enzyme on a support is dependent on the properties of the enzyme and carrier material. The binding to a support material can be temporary or permanent depending upon the chemical bond formed between the enzyme and the support. This article discusses in detail the intrinsic factors that influence enzyme immobilisation and the latest techniques such as one-step immobilisation, microencapsulation and cross-linked aggregates that have been proposed in recent years.