Immobilization of cellulase in nanofibrous PVA membranes by electrospinning

Electrospinning is a nanofiber-forming process by which either polymer solution or melt is charged to high voltages. With high specific surface area and porous structure, electrospun fibrous membranes are excellent candidates for immobilization of enzymes. In this paper, immobilization of cellulase in nanofibrous poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) membranes was studied by electrospinning. PVA and cellulase were dissolved together in an acetic acid buffer (pH 4.6) and electrospun into nanofibers with diameter of around 200 nm. The nanofibrous membranes were crosslinked by glutaraldehyde vapor and examined catalytic efficiency for biotransformations. The activity of immobilized cellulase in PVA nanofibers was over 65% of that of the free enzyme. Nanofibers were superior to casting films from the same solution for immobilization of cellulase. The activity of immobilized cellulase descended with ascending in enzyme loading efficiency and crosslinking time, which retained 36% its initial activity after six cycles of reuse. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.