Stability improvement of laccase for micropollutant removal of pharmaceutical origins from municipal wastewater

Micropollutants are persistent and hazardous materials in low concentrations (ng L −1 –μg L −1 ), including substances such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products and industrial chemicals. The advancement of analytical chemistry has allowed for the detection of micropollutants; however, an efficient and economical treatment solution is yet to be installed. Fungal laccase has been a successful biocatalyst of these compounds. However, large-scale application of free enzyme is currently not feasible for removing water-borne micropollutants, partly due to relatively rapid loss in enzyme stability. In this paper, three types of cyclodextrin, α, β and γCD, were chosen to immobilise the laccase under various conditions with the aim to improve the stability of the enzyme. Laccase activity was chosen as a response parameter, and laccase-cyclodextrin binding was evaluated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results showed an optimum using α-cyclodextrin immobilisation. At that level, α-cyclodextrin increased the half-life of laccase and slightly improved its activity in all tested pH by physically bonding to laccase. By protecting the enzyme structure, activity was maintained under a range of circumstances (acidic conditions, from 10 to 50 °C). Under room temperature and at pH 5, α-cyclodextrin-laccase nanocomposite had a better removal efficiency of diclofenac compared to free laccase of the same concentration. Graphical abstract