ON THE EFFECTIVENESS FACTOR OF IMMOBILIZED ENZYMES WITH LINEAR MIXED-TYPE PRODUCT INHIBITION-KINETICS

The problem of simultaneous mass transfer and product-inhibited enzyme kinetics in porous slabs was numerically solved. Effectiveness factor and overall reaction rate were evaluated as function of physical and kinetic parameters. The study was mainly focused on the linear mixed-t ype product inhibition pattern. It was proved that, independently of t he Thiele modulus, uncertainty exists in identifying the inhibition me chanism in the case of entrapped enzymes. Unexpected behaviors of the observable rate of reaction were pointed out and the possibility was p resented of optimizing product formation per unit biocatalyst weight b y appropriately selecting substrate conversion, i.e. concentrations of reactant and product in the liquid phase bathing the external particl e surface.