Magnetic Recovery of Cellulase from Cellulose Substrates with Bare Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

Cellulase is an enzyme used to hydrolyze a wide range of cellulose based materials and thus facilitates the production of glucose. In order to provide a greener chemistry, cellulase has been immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles, which allow for simple magnetic separation and recovery. The nanoparticles have been characterized thoroughly and the binding parameters of cellulase on the magnetic iron oxides were investigated. The so produced nano-biocatalysts were subjected to enzymatic tests in different temperature and pH media. Reusability and influence of the storage time was also examined. The stability of the enzyme increased by immobilization to the particles compared to free cellulase. We were able to recover immobilized cellulase from the degraded substrate in the milliliter with a handmagnet as well as in the liter scale with a high gradient magnetic separator. The continuous process for the degradation of cellulose and the recovery of the nano-biocatalysts paves the way for industrial applications.