Lipase/chitosan nanoparticle-stabilized pickering emulsion for enzyme catalysis

An oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering emulsion catalysis system was prepared using a self-assembled of lipase/chitosan nanoparticles (CRL/CS NPs). The CRL/CS NPs functioned as both a stabilizer and a catalyst, and every droplet of the emulsion was used as a microreactor for the reactants in the oil phase. Due to an adequate oil–water interface for the “lid” opening of lipase and rapid mass transfer in the CRL/CS NPs, the Pickering emulsion exhibited excellent enzymatic activity toward the hydrolysis of olive oil, achieving 72.80% and 99.62% hydrolysis rates after 15 min and 120 min, respectively. Immobilizing lipase in the self-assembled CS NPs endowed the lipase with exceptional recyclability and provided a shield to protect the enzyme from deactivation.