BACKGROUND The objective of this research was to compare the efficiency of pepsin immobilization by adsorption and covalent binding on biochar obtained from pupunha palm processing residue, and to use the immobilized enzyme in the hydrolysis of bovine casein. RESULTS The surface modification of biochar with glutaraldehyde was effective, as shown by Fourier transform infrared analyses and the texture properties of the carbons. Both activated and functionalized biochar showed high immobilization efficiency (>95%) and high enzyme‐support binding capacity (>96 mg g–1). During the activity assays, the functionalized carbon showed a higher casein hydrolysis rate when compared to the enzyme immobilized by adsorption, with values of 39.17 U and 32.67 U, respectively, and c. 95% of the activity of the free enzyme, after 60 min. CONCLUSION The functionalization of the biochar led to a surface modification of biochar by the insertion of amine‐aldehyde groups, which was responsible for the formation of strong interactions between the support material and the enzyme, thus providing a greater proteolytic activity when compared to immobilization by adsorption. The immobilized enzymes were able to maintain their proteolytic activity for more than seven cycles of reuse. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

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Agro‐industrial wastes are used as carbon precursors in the production of activated carbon because they are rich in lignocellulosic materials. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the main characteristics of precursor materials and activated carbons by multivariate analysis. After characterization of the precursor materials and their respective carbons, the principal component analysis and canonical correlation analysis were performed. Materials with cellulose/lignin ratio > 3.0 led to the production of carbons with a higher pore diameter, while materials with a cellulose/lignin ratio ≤ 1.0 led to a low pore volume. Using the mathematical models obtained, it is possible to predict the carbon characteristics using only the composition data of the lignocellulosic materials.

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