Fabricating polystyrene fiber-dehydrogenase assemble as a functional biocatalyst

• We fabricated and modified electrospun polystyrene fibers scaffold for biocatalysis.
• We characterized the structures and properties of modified electrospun polystyrene fibers.
• We evaluate the enzyme loading efficiency, activity and storage stability of ADH.
• Nitration of nanofiber can offer acceptable modification for enzyme immobilization.
• Electrospun polystyrene fiber-enzyme assembles can be used for bioconversion of CO2 to biofuel.

Immobilization of the enzymes on nano-structured materials is a promising approach to enhance enzyme stabilization, activation and reusability. This study aimed to develop polystyrene fiber-enzyme assembles to catalyze model formaldehyde to methanol dehydrogenation reaction, which is an essential step for bioconversion of CO2 to a renewable bioenergy. We fabricated and modified electrospun polystyrene fibers, which showed high capability to immobilize dehydrogenase for the fiber-enzyme assembles. Results from evaluation of biochemical activities of the fiber-enzyme assemble showed that nitriation with the nitric/sulfuric acid ratio (v/v, 10:1) and silanization treatment delivered desirable enzyme activity and long-term storage stability, showing great promising toward future large-scale applications.

Polystyrene nanofiber-enzyme assembles were developed to catalyze model formaldehyde to methanol dehydrogenation reaction, which is an essential step for bioconversion of CO2 to a renewable bioenergy. Electrospun polystyrene fibers modified by low ratio of HNO3/H2SO4 offer high enzyme loading efficiency and reusability. Results showed great an implication of nanostructure-enzyme assembles in future biocatalysts.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide