Immobilization of laccase on carbon nanomaterials

Laccase from Trametes versicolor was readily immobilized on carbon nanomaterials including multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT-COOHs), and graphene oxides (GOs), by physical adsorption without using coupling agents. The immobilized amount of laccase strongly depends on the pH of the aqueous buffers of the immobilization mixture. As the pH of the aqueous buffer for immobilization increases, the immobilized amount of laccase decreases. The activity of the immobilized laccase on the three carbon nanomaterials exhibits a bell-shaped dependence on the pH of the immobilization solution with maximum activity at pH 6 or 7. When the immobilization solution becomes acidic or basic, the activity of the immobilized laccase declines significantly. The amount and the activity of immobilized laccase were maximum for graphene oxides as substrate material for immobilization.