Immobilization of glucoamylase in porous glass fibers

Glucoamylase has been successfully immobilized in controlled pore glass fibers by a silane‐glutaraldehyde coupling method. Enzyme solution was continuously recycled through the glass fibers held in a fixed bed reactor. Different process parameters were tested. Reservoir volume and initial enzyme concentration both had a strong influence on final glucoamylase loading. The recycle rate affected the rate of loading but not the final amount of loaded enzyme. Glucoamylase was found to be nonuniformly distributed within the fibers with penetration depths never higher than 5.75 μm, half of the fiber radius. This factor could be important in improving the immobilized glucoamylase hydrolysis of dextrin syrups.