It would be important to note that Accurel with smaller particle sizes increases reaction rates and enantiomeric ratios during biocatalyzation (Sabbani et al. Water activity profiles of lipase adsorbed using polypropylene-based hydrophobic granules/Accurel EP-100 has been reported (Persson et al. Various chemical modifications of the currently used supports would definitely help in better immobilization. Silanized molecular sieves have also been successfully used as supports for enzyme adsorption owing to the presence of silanols on pore walls that facilitate enzyme immobilization by hydrogen bonding (Diaz and Balkus 1996). 2010 Mitchell and Ramírez 2011 Huang et al. Researchers have used eco-friendly supports like coconut fibers having good water-holding capacity and high cation exchange property microcrystalline cellulose with irreversible binding capacity kaolin with high enzyme retainability by chemical acetylation and micro/mesoporous materials having thiol functionalized, large surface area ideally suited for reduction and oxidation reactions (Dey et al. Adsorbed enzymes are shielded from aggregation, proteolysis and interaction with hydrophobic interfaces (Spahn and Minteer 2008). 2011).Įnzyme adsorption results from hydrophobic interactions and salt linkages where either the support is bathed in enzyme for physical adsorption or the enzyme is dried on electrode surfaces. 1981 Wang and Hettwer 1982 Mislovicová et al. Polymers like collagen, cellulose and κ-carrageenan are employed by entrapment method, while the membrane confinement method includes formulation of liposomes and microcapsules (Katwa et al. In cross-linking/covalent method, bi/multifunctional reagents such as glutaraldehyde, bisdiazobenzidine and hexamethylene diisocyanate are used (Lee et al. Adsorption/carrier-binding method uses water-insoluble carriers such as polysaccharide derivatives, synthetic polymers and glass (Al-Adhami et al. Several methods are used for immobilization and various factors influence the performance of immobilized enzymes (Table 1). Immobilization generates continuous economic operations, automation, high investment/capacity ratio and recovery of product with greater purity (D’Souza 1998). Apart from being affordable, an ideal matrix must encompass characteristics like inertness, physical strength, stability, regenerability, ability to increase enzyme specificity/activity and reduce product inhibition, nonspecific adsorption and microbial contamination (Singh 2009). Inert polymers and inorganic materials are usually used as carrier matrices. Enzyme immobilization is confinement of enzyme to a phase (matrix/support) different from the one for substrates and products. Immobilized biocatalysts can either be enzymes or whole cells (Kawaguti et al. Consequently, immobilized enzymes with functional efficiency and enhanced reproducibility are used as alternatives in spite of their expensiveness. Maintenance of their structural stability during any biochemical reaction is highly challenging. However, for large extent commercialization of these bio-derived catalysts, their reusability factor becomes mandatory, failing which they would no longer be economic. Biocatalysis has been widely accepted in diverse sectors owing to their ease of production, substrate specificity and green chemistry. Enzymes or ‘biocatalysts’ are remarkable discovery in the field of bioprocess technology.