Sapropel-based supports as novel macroporous carbon-mineral adsorbents for enzymatic active substances

The novel macroporous carbon-mineral Sapropel supports were obtained from lacustrine sapropel silts of freshwater lakes by annealing of semi-coke in the inert atmosphere. The specific surface area of these supports varied from 10 to 100 m2/g, the total pore volume from 0.3 cm3/g till 1.6 cm3/g; macropores of diameters more than 2 µm were predominating. The Sapropel supports were studied for the adsorption/adhesion of enzymatic active substances, such as whole bacterial cells, and invertase-active fully destroyed baker's yeast cells (autolysates), and purified enzyme nitrilase. The heterogeneous biocatalysts with required enzymatic activity were prepared and their properties were studied in the corresponding bioconversion processes. The invertase-active biocatalysts exhibited high activity, 120-135 U/g, and stability; the half-times of their inactivation (t½) were more than 1000 h in the continuous process of sucrose hydrolysis at 50°C. The nitrilase-active biocatalysts for “green” chemistry of nitriles possessed high activity, 350-500 U/g, and the t½ were estimated to be more than 100 h in the periodic process of hydration of acrylonitrile to acrylic acid at 22°C.