Microchannel enzyme reactors and their applications for processing

Abstract

Microreaction technology is an interdisciplinary field combining science and engineering. It has attracted the attention of researchers from different fields for the past few years, resulting in the development of several microreactors. Enzymes are one of the catalysts used in microreactors: they are useful for substance production in an environmentally friendly way and have high potential for analytical applications. However, few enzymatic processes have been commercialized because of problems with stability and the cost and efficiency of the reactions. Thus, there have been demands for innovation in process engineering, particularly for enzymatic reactions, and microreaction devices can serve as efficient tools for the development of enzyme processes. In this review, we summarize the recent advances of enzyme-immobilized microchannel reactors; fundamental techniques for micro enzyme-reactor design and important applications of this multidisciplinary technology in chemical processing are also included in our topics.