On the possibilities of immobilization and utilization of some cellulase enzymes

Cellulase enzymes produced by the microorganisms Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma viride have been immobilized on Ponilex type ion exchangers, both by ionic and by covalent bonding. Immobilization efficiency has been determined for enzyme preparations obtained, by their activity, as well as by that of the resulted effluent, on using as substrate carboxymethyl cellulose, cellobiose, and filter paper. The catalytic activity of the immobilized products has been tested against solutions of carboxymethyl cellulose and a series of hemicellulose containing alkaline extracts resulted from the alkaline pretreatments of some vegetal materials. The presence of polyphenol compounds in the latter ones determines a series of peculiarities in the behavior of the enzyme preparations, such as the transformation of the hydrolysis products and reduction of the catalytic activity of the enzyme, after a certain period of reaction