Laccases—Versatile Enzymes Used to Reduce Environmental Pollution

Gigel Paraschiv,Bianca Stefania Zabava,Mariana Ionescu,Mirela Nicoleta Dinca,Mariana Ferdes,Georgiana Moiceanu

doi:10.3390/en15051835

Gigel Paraschiv, Bianca Stefania Zabava + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/en15051835

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Journal: Energies	Publication Date: Mar 2, 2022
Citations: 11	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Polytechnic University of Bucharest

Abstract

The accumulation of waste and toxic compounds has become increasingly harmful to the environment and human health. In this context, the use of laccases has become a focus of interest, due to the properties of these versatile enzymes: low substrate specificity, and water formation as a non-toxic end product. Thus, we begin our study with a general overview of the importance of laccase for the environment and industry, starting with the sources of laccases (plant, bacterial and fungal laccases), the structure and mechanism of laccases, microbial biosynthesis, and the immobilization of laccases. Then, we continue with an overview of agro-waste treatment by laccases wherein we observe the importance of laccases for the biodisponibilization of substrates and the biodegradation of agro-industrial byproducts; we then show some aspects regarding the degradation of xenobiotic compounds, dyes, and pharmaceutical products. The objective of this research is to emphasize and fully investigate the effects of laccase action on the decomposition of lignocellulosic materials and on the removal of harmful compounds from soil and water, in order to provide a sustainable solution to reducing environmental pollution.

Highlights

The diversity of enzymes synthesized by micro-organisms during their metabolism contributes in profound ways to the degradation of organic or inorganic compounds in the environment, and plays a significant role in practical endeavors related to agriculture, industrial processes, and waste treatment
Laccases have been continuously used in many domains, such as the food industry; the textile industry; polymer synthesis and green nanoparticle synthesis; the paper and pulp industry (delignification of pulp, Energies 2022, 15, 1835 and green nanoparticle synthesis; the paper and pulp industry; biosensors; the decomposition of lignocellulosic material used as substrate in various processes; etc. [3]. the decomposition of lignocellulosic material used as deinking of paper); biosensors; Along withinhydrolytic enzymes,etc
In the literature, studies show that the association of physical, chemical and physical–chemical pretreatment methods with biological treatment applied to Lignocellulosic biomass (LB) increases lignin removal and enzymatic digestibility [62–65]

Summary

Introduction

The diversity of enzymes synthesized by micro-organisms during their metabolism contributes in profound ways to the degradation of organic or inorganic compounds in the environment, and plays a significant role in practical endeavors related to agriculture, industrial processes, and waste treatment. Laccases (EC 1.10.3.2, p-diphenol: dioxygen oxidoreductase) are enzymes that contain copper atoms in the active site, which catalyze the oxidation reaction of diverse substrates such as phenolic and aromatic molecules (ortho- and para-diphenols, amino phenols, methoxy-phenols, poly-phenols), aliphatic amines, and inorganic cations, resulting in water as a product of reduction in molecular oxygen [1]. Due to their properties, laccases are rightly considered as “green catalysts” [2]. Laccases have been continuously used in many domains, such as the food industry (wine stabilization, fruit juice clarification, baking, and sugar beet pectin production); the textile industry (fiber biobleaching, denim washing); polymer synthesis and green nanoparticle synthesis; the paper and pulp industry (delignification of pulp, Energies 2022, 15, 1835 and green nanoparticle synthesis; the paper and pulp industry (delignification of pulp, deinking of paper); biosensors; the decomposition of lignocellulosic material used as substrate in various processes; etc. [3]. the decomposition of lignocellulosic material used as deinking of paper); biosensors; Along withinhydrolytic enzymes,etc.

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