Plasma polymerized functional supermagnetic FeO nanostructured templates for laccase immobilization: A robust catalytic system for bio-inspired dye degradation.

FeO magnetic nanoparticles, synthesized using co-precipitation method, were epoxy functionalized via plasma polymerization of 2,3-epoxypropylmethacrylate (EPMA) precursor. The EPMA-functionalized FeO nanoparticles (EPMA-f-MN) were employed as templates for facile, one-step covalent immobilization of laccase enzyme at room temperature. Samples were rigorously characterized by FTIR, TGA, SEM, TEM, XRD techniques, while Mössbauer spectroscopy (MöS) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) confirmed the supermagnetic nature of FeO nanoparticles. Activities of free and immobilized laccase (ImLac) were assayed by spectrophotometrically monitoring the enzymatic reduction of substrate 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylthiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) at 420 nm, corresponding to the λ of ABTS. In addition to possessing higher thermal stability and a broader pH tolerance window compared to free laccase, the supermagnetic property of the FeO renders the ImLac system conveniently recoverable and recyclable. Practical applicability of ImLac towards catalytic degradation of industrial dyes was also ably demonstrated using Acid Blue 193 (AB 193) as a commercially used model textile dye, which belongs to the family of azo dyes. Over 95% degradation of the dye was achieved within a period of 4 hours. ImLac could be used for more than 10 dye degradation cycles with >90 % of retention in enzyme activity.