USE OF NATURAL WASTE CARRIER IN ENZYME IMMOBILIZATION: CATALASE IMMOBILIZATION ONTO EGGSHELL MEMBRANE

The immobilization process improves the stability properties of enzymes and reduces production costs in industrial processes due to its reuse feature. In this study, catalase was immobilized onto eggshell membrane (ESM), which is a natural carrier macromolecule, via adsorption and cross-linking methods. Immobilization optimization parameters such as enzyme concentration, ESM amount, cross-linking agent concentration and adsorption time were determined. Then, optimization studies were performed for both free catalase and catalase immobilized ESM. It was observed that ESM improved the stability properties of catalase enzyme such as optimum temperature, thermal stability and optimum pH after the immobilization. Especially in alkaline conditions, catalase immobilized ESM showed higher activity than free enzyme. The catalase immobilized ESM was able to maintain more than 50% of its activity even after repeated 25 uses. In addition, characterization studies of ESM and catalase immobilized ESM were performed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).