Exploring a suitable
immobilization strategy to improve catalytic
efficiency and reusability of cellulase is of great importance to
lowering the cost and promoting the industrialization of cellulose-derived
bioethanol. In this work, a layered structure with a thin PEG hydrogel
as the inner layer and sodium polyacrylate (PAANa) brush as the outer
layer was fabricated on low density polyethylene (LDPE) film by visible-light-induced
graft polymerization. Two enzymes, β-glucosidase (BG) and cellulase,
were separately coimmobilized onto this hierarchical film. As supplementary
to cellulase for improving catalytic efficiency, BG was in situ entrapped
into the inner PEG hydrogel layer during the graft polymerization
from the LDPE surface. After graft polymerization of sodium acrylate
on the PEG hydrogel layer was reinitiated, cellulase was covalently
attached on the outer PAANa brush layer. Owing to the mild reaction
condition (visible-light irradiation and room temperature), the immobilized
BG could retain a high activity after the graft polymerization. The
immobilization did not alter the optimal pH and temperature of BG
or the optimal temperature of cellulase. However, the optimal pH of
cellulase shifts to 5.0 after immobilization. Compared with the original
activity of single cellulase system and isolated BG/cellulase immobilization
system, the dual-enzyme system exhibited 82% and 20% increase in catalytic
activity, respectively. The dual-enzyme system could maintain 93%
of carboxymethylcellulose sodium salt (CMC) activity after repeating
10 cycles of hydrolysis and 89% of filter paper activity after 6 cycles
relative to original activity, exhibiting excellent reusability. This
layer coimmobilization system of BG and cellulase on the polymer film
displays tremendous potential for practical application in a biorefinery.