Improved Immobilized Enzyme Systems Using Spherical Micro Silica Sol-Gel Enzyme Beads

Spherical micro silica sol-gel immobilized enzyme beads were prepared in an emulsion system using cyclohexanone and Triton-X 114. The beads were used for the in situ immobilization of transaminase, trypsin, and lipase. Immobilization during the sol to gel phase transition was investigated to determine the effect of the emulsifying solvents, surfactants, and mixing process on the formation of spherical micro sol-gel enzyme beads and their catalytic activity. The different combinations of sol-gel precursors affected both activity and the stability of the enzymes, which suggests that each enzyme has a unique preference for the silica gel matrix dependent upon the characteristics of the precursors.