New developments in supercritical fluids as a green technology: Processing of β-glucanase with sub- and supercritical carbon dioxide

Abstract

There is evidence that high pressure can lead to changes in the stability and activation of enzymes, even though the majority of cases reported the inactivation of harmful enzymes. Supercritical fluids have attracted attention recently in green biotechnological processes. In this study, the aim is to investigate the capability of supercritical carbon dioxide to positively alter the stability and activity of hydrolytic enzymes as an alternative technique. The effects of operational parameters such as pressure (60–300 bar), temperature (28–80 °C), CO2 flow rate (2–10 g/min) and time (60–180 min) were evaluated with respect to the activity and stability of β-glucanase. The highest activity of β-glucanase was measured as 18.39 μmol/mL/min at 240 bar, 90 min, 67 °C and 8 g/min flow rate with SC-CO2 applications. In addition, the most active processed enzyme was employed in 11 subsequent enzymatic reactions after being immobilized in NaY zeolite with 71 % efficiency. The increased activity of the enzyme and prolonged useful life by ensuring its reuse can create a competitive advantage in the industry.