Carbon-silica composite matrices for preparing heterogeneous biocatalysts with glucose isomerase activity

Comparative studies have been carried out on the preparation of carbon-silica composite matrices for heterogeneous biocatalysts with glucose isomerase activity. Carbon nanotubes and nanofibers have been included inside SiO₂ xerogel. The enzymatic activity and operating stability of the biocatalysts have been investigated. Bacterial cells of a recombinant glucose isomerase producer strain have been used as the enzymatically active component of the biocatalysts. The steady-state activity of the biocatalysts subjected to “dry” cross linking with a glutaraldehyde solution (0.1–1%) is 1.5 times higher than the activity of the biocatalysts containing no nanocarbon. The initial and steady-state glucose-isomerase activities of the biocatalysts at 70°C are ∼520–540 and ∼150–160 μmol min⁻¹ g⁻¹, respectively. The half-inactivation time of the biocatalysts under continuous monosaccharide (glucose, fructose) isomerization conditions is up to ∼1500 h.