Laccase Immobilized Fe3O4-Graphene Oxide Nanobiocatalyst Improves Stability and Immobilization Efficiency in the Green Preparation of Sulfa Drugs

This paper, reports on the novel and green synthesis procedure for sulfonamides that involved the immobilization of Trametes Versicolor laccase onto the Fe3O4–graphene nanocomposite via glutaraldehyde (GA) crosslinking (Lac/Fe3O4/GO). Various parameters, mainly, activation time, GA, and laccase concentration were investigated and optimized. The results showed that the optimal contact time was 4 h, GA concentration was 5% while laccase concentration was 5 mg·mL−1, at which a high enzyme activity recovery was achieved (86%). In terms of the stability of immobilized laccase to temperature and storage conditions, the performance of the nanobiocatalyst was found to significantly exceed that of free laccase. The results have indicated that nearly 70% of relative activity for immobilized laccase remained after the incubation period of 2 h at 55 °C, but only 48% of free laccase remained within the same time period. Moreover, the immobilized laccase retained 88% of its initial activity after storage for 20 days. In case of the free laccase, the activity retained within the same time period was 32%. In addition, the nanobiocatalyst possessed better recycling performance as evidenced from the observation that after eight cycles of repeated use, it retained 85% of its original activity.