Carboxymethyl cellulose-gelatin-silica nanohybrid: an efficient carrier matrix for alpha amylase.

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-gelatin (G) dual templated polymerization of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) furnished an efficient hybrid carrier support for alpha amylase. The material has been characterized using FTIR, XRD SEM, TGA and BET studies. The amylase was immobilized at the presynthesized hybrid support by adsorption and the immobilized enzyme was used to optimize the conditions for soluble starch hydrolysis. The immobilization did not change the optimum working pH (pH 5) and temperature (40°C) of the enzymatic reaction. The kinetic parameters of the immobilized (Km=9.970mgmL(-1); Vmax=66.23mgmL(-1)min(-1)) and free amylase (KM=4.0509mgmL(-1), Vmax=4.2909mgmL(-1)min(-1)) indicated that the immobilization has enhanced the catalytic function of diastase alpha amylase. The immobilized enzyme showed higher shelf life as compared to the free enzyme in solution and it could be reused for seven consecutive cycles where 85% of the initial activity was exhibited even in the last cycle. The present material is as efficient as our previously reported material CMC-AgNps-Si.