Biochemical Engineering Fundamentals, Part 1 - Bailey J., Ollis D. 1989

Applications of enzyme-catalyzed reactions
Industrial processes involving immobilized enzymes

Immobilization refers to the Methods of modifying Enzymes to enable their use in continuous processes. The Need for immobilization can arise for several reasons. First, immobilized individual enzymes are retained within the Reactor, whereas soluble enzymes typically pass into the reaction mixture. As a result, valuable enzymes are irreversibly lost, requiring additional biocatalyst to be added to the reactor; furthermore, the enzyme may act as an undesirable impurity that must be separated from the final product. Second, as mentioned in Chapter 3, compared to soluble biocatalysts, immobilized enzymes often retain their activity over a longer period (Fig. 3.6). Third, immobilized Enzymes can be localized According to the sequence of the catalytic reactions they perform, thereby increasing the efficiency of multi-step processes.

These characteristics of immobilized enzymes indicate that their use is highly viable for Processing large quantities of substrate and/or when the enzyme is expensive. Furthermore, The ability to concentrate the enzyme within a specific volume and shape it as desired opens up unique new Applications for immobilized biocatalysts. The next section will cover Enzyme Immobilization methods, followed by an exploration of the Applications of Immobilized enzymes and the Prospects for their future industrial use.