Development of Immobilized Cellulase

摘要

The immobilization of cellulase from the fungus Trichoderma reesei on the surface of calcium alginate gel spheres was investigated. The immobilized cellulase catalyzed the hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose. The linking agents, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and glutaraldehyde, decreased free-enzyme activity by 95%, and the maximum observed retention of cellulase activity after immobilization was 2%. Leakage of enzyme from the support was observed. A fivefold increase in glucose production was seen after the addition of beta -glucosidase-impregnated spheres to the cellulase spheres, suggesting that cellobiose may be accumulating during the reaction. A simple economic analysis suggested that the immobilized-enzyme activity per unit volume might have to be increased by a factor of fifty to become competitive with the free-enzyme process. (ERA citation 07:051598)