Coimmobilization of Detergent Enzymes onto a Plastic Bucket and Brush for Their Application in Cloth Washing

Abstract

A mixture of detergent enzymes, α-amylase, cellulase, protease, and lipase has been coimmobilized covalently onto an inner wall of a plastic beaker and bristles of a plastic brush. The coimmobilized α-amylase, cellulase, protease, and lipase retained 66.7, 54.2, 44.64, and 62.8% on the beaker and 44.01, 66.23, 33.9, and 45.8% on the brush of their initial activity in free/native form. The conjugation yield of the enzymes/proteins onto beaker and brush was 0.02 mg/cm2 and 0.016 mg/cm2, respectively. The scanning electron micrographs (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of PVC sheet surfaces before and after coimmobilization of enzymes confirmed their coimmobilization. There were slight changes in optimal pH, incubation temperature and time for maximum activity and Km of enzymes after immobilization. The combination of any nonenzymic (cheaper) detergent and immobilized enzymes gave equal/better washing of cotton cloths than that by enzymic detergent (costly) in distilled water. Similar result...