Methods of Enzyme and Cell

Immobilization

Manam Walait
FLS, UCP
Lahore
 Properties of Carrier Matrix
 Low Cost: a pre-requisite for industrial production.
Cheaper to discard after use. May be regenerated after use.
 Binding capacity: The binding capacity is determined by
the higher surface area of carrier and the actual binding
sites available for the enzyme.
 Chemically inert: It should not react with the enzyme or
microbial cells.
 High Physical Strength and resistant to non-
microbial/microbial degradation
 High thermal stability: the carrier matrix should no degrade
at higher reaction temperatures.
 Properties of carrier matrix
• Regeneration: Can be regenerated after useful lifetime of the
immobilized enzyme
• Enhancement of enzyme specificity: after attachment of enzyme
with the carrier matrix, the specificity of the enzyme towards its
substrate should be increased. The fact is, binding of enzyme with
carrier matrix occurs through weak interactions, therefore its
specificity should be enhanced.
• Reduction in product inhibition: The carrier matrix should prevent
the enzyme or microbial cell from product inhibition.
• pH shift to the desired value: The binding should shift the pH of
the enzyme reaction towards desirable value after immobilization.
Carriers classification (according to basic
material, origin of source and structure)

Inorganic

Organic from natural sources

Organic from synthetic
material