Enzyme immobilization: the state of art in biotechnology

The advantages of immobilized enzyme over its soluble counterpart arise from their improved stability and easy separation from the reaction media, leading to decrease in production cost. Immobilization methods range from adsorption onto matrices, entrapment, cross-linking and covalent bonding to prefabricated carriers or activated supports. Changes in kinetic pro- perties of immobilized enzyme can produce substrate or pH gradient, which reduce the reaction rates and finally product yields:.