Biodegradation of cellulose in novel recyclable aqueous two-phase systems with water-soluble immobilized cellulase

Abstract Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) are an attractive technology in bioseparation engineering. However, one key problem is that phase-forming copolymer could not be recycled efficiently. This results in high cost and environmental pollution. In this study, we have developed recyclable aqueous two-phase systems composed by pH-response copolymer P MDB and thermo-response copolymer P NB and have carried out biodegradation of cellulose in the ATPS. The phase-forming copolymers could be recycled with over 95.0% recovery. In the systems, cellulase was immobilized on pH-response copolymer P MDB by using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyllaminopropyl)-carbodiimide hydrochloride as cross-linker, and optimized partition coefficient of product was 3.68. Insoluble substrate and immobilized enzyme were biased in bottom phase, while product was partitioned in top phase. Microcrystalline cellulose was catalyzed into reducing sugar, then the product entering into the top phase. In the end, inhibition of product was removed, and the yield of reducing sugar in ATPS was increased 10.94% compared with the reaction in the single aqueous phase. The saccharification in ATPS could reach 40.16% when the reaction reached equilibrium.