Enzyme immobilization with nanomaterials for hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass: Challenges and future Perspectives

Enzyme immobilization has emerged as a prodigious strategy in the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) promising enhanced efficacy and stability of the enzymes. Further, enzyme immobilization on magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) facilitates the easy recovery and reuse of biocatalysts. This results in the development of a nanobiocatalytic system, that serves as an eco-friendly and inexpensive LCB deconstruction approach. This review provides an overview of nanomaterials used for immobilization with special emphasis on the nanomaterial-enzyme interactions and strategies of immobilization. After the succinct outline of the immobilization procedures and supporting materials, a comprehensive assessment of the catalysis enabled by nanomaterial-immobilized biocatalysts for the conversion and degradation of lignocellulosic biomasses is provided by gathering state-of-the-art examples. The challenges and future directions associated with this technique providing a potential solution in the present article. Insight on the recent advancements in the process of nanomaterial-based immobilization for the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass has also been highlighted in the article.