Agro industrial residues as solid support for immobilization and stabilization of enzymes of biotechnological interest

Abstract

The use of biocatalysts in industrial processes has numerous operational advantages . However in many cases the process becomes uneconomical due the high cost for biocatalysts and supports production. Strategies for reducing the production and implementation cost of immobilized enzymes in industrial processes is a major scientific and technological challenge . This project aims to study alternative solid supports as matriz for immobilization of industrial interest enzymes ( trypsin , and Alcalase laccase ). Alternative materials as corn cob powder and coconut fiber will be used as solid supports, these are low cost agroindustrial waste. Immobilization of enzymes on this supports can allow the development of technology to obtaining hydrolysis products free of biocatalyst and also enable reuse. The Laboratory of Enzymology which runs the project has a multidisciplinary team that has been working in this line of research and is looking to implement new protocols, making them more simple and applicable . In case the suggested enzymes have immediate applications in the hydrolysis of proteins from different sources to obtain bioactive peptides with potential properties (Alcalase and trypsin) and stabilization of beverages (laccase) . Once approved , the project will make possible the formation of new human resources in this area of knowledge, and the evolution of current research line as well. Moreover , the work being developed in this Enzymology laboratory, enable the application of derivatives in reactors, which will be evaluated for feasibility of implementation in an industrial scale . (AU)