Immobilized Enzymes and Their Applications

The main goal of enzyme immobilization is the re-use of enzymes for many reaction cycles and extended periods of time. Many novel strategies have been developed during the past 20 years. The most common are the carrier-bound technologies employing synthetic and natural polymers. However, carrier-free enzyme immobilization, using chemical crosslinking techniques, is being developed for complex biocatalytic systems. Among the matrices, biopolymers represent trendy scaffolds for enzyme immobilization, particularly the new development of matrices made of chitosan, and its derivatives. In addition, recent advances in nanotechnologies are bringing novel tools to help understand the interaction between enzymes and their potential carriers, and to obtain novel nanodevices tailored for specific enzymes. Examples of matrices made of carbon nanotubes, lipid vesicles, mesoporous materials, and nanosheets are reviewed in this chapter.