Novel approaches to immobilize Candida rugosa lipase on nanocomposite membranes prepared by covalent attachment of magnetic nanoparticles on poly acrylonitrile membrane

Novel methods have been developed for lipase immobilization on poly acrylonitrile (PAN) membranes to increase the activity and stability of the immobilized lipase. In this study, poly acrylonitrile (PAN) membranes were aminated and then activated by glutaraldehyde or epichlorohydrine to be used for enzyme immobilization. In the other approach, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) which were functionalized with trichlorotriazine (TCT) or glutaraldehyde (GA) were attached to the membrane surface to prepare the nanocomposite membranes named TCT-MNP@PAN & GA-MNP@PAN membranes. Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) was covalently immobilized on this activated nanocomposite membrane. Nanoparticles and nanocomposite membranes were characterized with various techniques such as SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, FTIR-ATR, AFM, contact angle goniometry and surface free energy measurement. The evidence of immobilization was also done by FTIR-ATR, enzyme activity, and loading efficiency. It was found that the activity of immobilized lipase on GA and TCT functionalized NCPAN membrane were about 50% and 31% higher than that immobilized on GA-activated PAN membrane. The kinetic parameters of enzymatic membranes showed the better conformation of the lipase enzyme immobilized on the TCT-MNP@PAN membrane. The presented enzymatic nanocomposite membranes are easy to prepare with low cost and are good candidates for use in membrane bioreactors.