Enzyme-Based Nanomaterials in Bioremediation

Abstract

The combination of enzymes and nanomaterials represents an innovative technology that can be used in the field of environmental bioremediation. Various biologically active molecules can be effectively immobilized onto nanomaterials, which are considered very interesting matrices because of their unique physico-chemical properties. Nanoparticles are carriers that have been intensively investigated because of their potential to produce nanobiocatalysts. Currently, the development of novel hybrid nanocomposites such as nanographene, nanotubes, nanofibers, and nanogels is significantly increasing. In the first part of this chapter, importance and advantages of enzyme immobilization, properties of free enzymes, and parameters influencing the immobilization processes are discussed. Description of different types of nanomaterials and the corresponding immobilization techniques such as adsorption, covalent binding, entrapment, encapsulation, and cross-linking is also involved. The second part of this chapter is about degradation of various pollutants including phenolic compounds, synthetic dyes, pharmaceuticals, and PAHs by nanobiocatalysts. Many studies have been published over the past 5 years, which indicates an increasing interest in this application. The most important parameters and results of the published papers have been reviewed and organized in a comprehensive table. It is obvious that the utilization of nanobiocatalysts for remediating contaminated wastewater and soil is still under development. However, enzyme-based nanomaterials found an interesting application in the field of bio-sensors, which is described at the end of this chapter. Nanobiosensors are rapidly developing and more and more often used for detecting and monitoring various pollutants in the environment.