RESUMO
In the present study, cellulase has been immobilized by two different methods of entrapment viz. encapsulation in calcium alginate and matrix entrapment in agar. The calcium alginate encapsulated beads showed an immobilization efficiency of 92.11% and agar entrapped cubes showed an immobilization efficiency of 97.63%. The free cellulase was found to show optimum activity at 50 °C and pH 4, had a Km of 39.29 mg/mL, Vmax of 0.50 µmol/min. The calcium alginate encapsulated beads showed optimum activity at 50 °C, and pH 8, had a Km of 72.28 mg/mL and Vmax of 1.32 µmol/min. The agar entrapped cubes showed optimum activity at 60 °C, and pH 4, had a Km of 13.08 mg/mL, and Vmax of 0.38 µmol/min. The immobilized cellulases could be used for 5 cycles after which their activity deteriorated. The immobilized as well as the free enzyme were effective in increasing the yield of carrot juice.