A Comparitive Study on Immobilization of Alpha Amylase Enzyme on Different Matrices

In present study 7 carriers such as agar –agarose, wood fiber, wood chips, gelatin, wood powder, calcium alginate and butanol sodium alginate were used for immobilization of fungal amylase. Amylase immobilization was carried out by simple adsorption, adsorption followed by cross-linking, combined adsorption and gel entrapment methods. The suitability of the supports and techniques for the immobilization of amylase was evaluated by estimating the enzyme activity, stability at various temperature and pH, immobilization efficiency and treatment of carriers with different chemicals were investigated. Maximum enzyme activity(39.67 U/ml/min) was obtained in sodium alginate method of immobilization, followed by Agar –agarose (38.67U/ml/min), gelatin (37.73U/ml/min ), butanol (34.67 U/ml/min), NaOH treated Wood fiber (18.83 U/ml/min ), NaOH treated Wood chip (18.67 U/ml/min ) ,NaOH treated Wood powder (18 U/ml/min) and lowest activity obtained in case of SDS treated wood powder(14.67U/ml/min) . The optimal pH (6 pH) of the immobilized enzymes was shifted to lower values than for the free enzyme. The optimum reaction temperature was determined to be 40°C for the free amylase, whereas that for the immobilized enzymes was shifted to 50-60°C.