Development of catalytic scaffolds

• Grant number: 19/19980-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2019
• End date: August 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Denise Freitas Siqueira Petri
• Grantee: Natália Morita Rosseto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/13492-2 - Synthetic and natural scaffolds applied to regenerative medicine, AP.TEM

Abstract

Laccase is an oxydase with great relevance in natural and technological processes. This project aims to immobilize laccase in hybrid scaffolds of sugarcane bagasse and cellulose ethers or chitosan. First, the hybrid scaffolds will be synthesized with different contents of sugarcane bagasse and characterized. The scaffolds with the best compressive modulus, thermal and chemical stability will be used as support for laccase immobilization. Compared to the free enzyme, immobilization aims to improve catalytic efficiency, reuse and storage without loss of enzymatic activity. Standard assays will be performed to determine the activity of free and immobilized laccase as a function of pH and temperature, possibility of recycling and storage. After determination of optimum pH and temperature, the degradation of methylene blue (model molecule) will be catalyzed by the immobilized laccase, under flow. Recycling and storage time of the catalytic frameworks will also be evaluated for the methylene blue degradation reaction. Lacase is an oxidase with great relevance in natural and technological processes. This project aims to immobilize laccase in sugarcane bagasse hybrid scaffolds and cellulose or chitosan ethers. In a first step, the hybrid frameworks synthesized with different contents of sugarcane bagasse and characterized. The frameworks with better compressive strength, thermal and chemical stability will be used as support for laccase immobilization. Compared to the free enzyme, immobilization aims to improve catalytic efficiency, reuse and storage without loss of enzymatic activity. Systematic tests of free and immobilized laccase activity with standard substrate will be performed as a function of pH and temperature, reuse cycles and storage time. After determination of optimum pH and temperature, methylene blue (model molecule) degradation assays will be performed, catalyzed by the catalytic frameworks under flow. Reuse cycles and storage time of the catalytic frameworks will also be evaluated in the methylene blue degradation reaction.