Carbon nanotube filled with magnetic iron oxide and modified with polyamidoamine dendrimers for immobilizing lipase toward application in biodiesel production

Sci Rep. 2017 Mar 30:7:45643. doi: 10.1038/srep45643.

Abstract

Superparamagnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (mMWCNTs) were prepared by filling multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with iron oxide, and further modified by linking polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers (mMWCNTs-PAMAM) on the surface. Then, mMWCNTs-PAMAM was employed as the carrier and successfully immobilized Burkholderia cepacia lipase (BCL) via a covalent method (BCL-mMWCNTs-G3). The maximum activity recovery of the immobilized lipase was 1,716% and the specific activity increased to 77,460 U/g-protein, 17-fold higher than that of the free enzyme. The immobilized lipase displayed significantly enhanced thermostability and pH-resistance, and could efficiently catalyze transesterification to produce biodiesel at a conversion rate of 92.8%. Moreover, it possessed better recycling performance. After 20 cycles of repeated used, it still retained ca. 90% of its original activity, since the carbon nanotube-enzyme conjugates could be easily separated from the reaction mixture by using a magnet. This study provides a new perspective for biotechnological applications by adding a magnetic property to the unique intrinsic properties of nanotubes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biofuels*
  • Burkholderia cepacia / enzymology*
  • Dendrimers / chemistry*
  • Enzymes, Immobilized / chemistry*
  • Esterification
  • Ferric Compounds / chemistry
  • Lipase / chemistry*
  • Magnetite Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*

Substances

  • Biofuels
  • Dendrimers
  • Enzymes, Immobilized
  • Ferric Compounds
  • Magnetite Nanoparticles
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • PAMAM Starburst
  • ferric oxide
  • Lipase