Enzyme immobilization technology as a tool to innovate in the production of biofuels: A special review of the Cross-Linked Enzyme Aggregates (CLEAs) strategy.

This review emphasizes the crucial role of enzyme immobilization technology in advancing the production of two main biofuels, ethanol and biodiesel, with a specific focus on the Cross-linked Enzyme Aggregates (CLEAs) strategy. This method of immobilization has gained attention due to its simplicity and affordability, as it does not initially require a solid support. CLEAs synthesis protocol includes two steps: enzyme precipitation and cross-linking of aggregates using bifunctional agents. We conducted a thorough search for papers detailing the synthesis of CLEAs utilizing amylases, cellulases, and hemicellulases. These key enzymes are involved in breaking down starch or lignocellulosic materials to produce ethanol, both in first and second-generation processes. CLEAs of lipases were included as these enzymes play a crucial role in the enzymatic process of biodiesel production. However, when dealing with large or diverse substrates such as lignocellulosic materials for ethanol production and oils/fats for biodiesel production, the use of individual enzymes may not be the most efficient method. Instead, a system that utilizes a blend of enzymes may prove to be more effective. To innovate in the production of biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel), enzyme co-immobilization using different enzyme species to produce Combi-CLEAs is a promising trend.

Synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers of lipases from Candida antarctica type B (CALB) and Thermomyces lanuginosus (TLL): Improvement of thermal stability and reusability.

Enzyme immobilization is used to improve the application of enzymes, allowing the reuse of biocatalysts and increasing their stability under reaction conditions. Immobilization of enzymes through structures, such as nanoflowers, is an innovative, simple, and low-cost method compared to other techniques. In this context, the main objective of this work is to synthesize hybrid biocatalytic nanostructures, similar to flowers, of lipases from Candida antarctica type B (CALB) and Thermomyces lanuginosus (TLL). The production of nanoflowers occurred by precipitation of lipases with CuCl2 or CuSO4 salts for 72 h. However, challenges and obstacles were faced in obtaining effective and practical nanoflowers, such as nanoflowers' low thermal stability and reusability. To overcome these challenges, two conditions were tested: nanoflowers cross-linked with glutaraldehyde and nanoflowers and nanoparticles cross-linked with glutaraldehyde. This last biocatalyst prepared by CuSO4 precipitation showed better thermal stability (half-life about 230 and 233 min for CALB and TLL, respectively, under incubation at 60 °C and pH 7). The CALB biocatalyst retained 70 % of its initial activity (2.31 U) after 10 cycles of hydrolysis. Therefore, this work shows not only the problems and barriers of nanoflowers synthesis, but also the possibility of producing more stable and efficient biocatalysts using improved protocols.