S. Sato et al., DEVELOPMENT OF IMMOBILIZED ENZYME ENTRAPPED WITHIN INORGANIC MATRIX AND ITS CATALYTIC ACTIVITY IN ORGANIC MEDIUM, Journal of Chemical Engineering of Japan, 27(6), 1994, pp. 732-736
A method for entrapment of enzymes within an inorganic matrix was deve
loped using a sol-gel process. Such entrapping immobilization of bioca
talysts within inorganic matrices has some benefits but it is rather d
ifficult to apply in contrast to other types of immobilization and the
refore has not been commercialized. The method developed was applied t
o entrapping lipase within silica beads. The entrapped lipase was six
times more active for esterification in an organic medium than lipase
immobilized over silica glass with a binding method which has conventi
onally been used. The high activity may come from the characteristics
of the present method. It can entrap the enzyme with less denaturation
and provide the matrix with physical properties suited to the reactio
n, e.g. an abumolance of macro pores.