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Description
Owing to the increasing environmental pollution, which is majorly caused by anthropogenic activities, the people are now more concerned, around the globe. The increasing number of various types of organic pollutants, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, dyes, heavy metals, and personal care products are increasingly being detected in our water systems, but unfortunately, most of them are not removed during the present-day wastewater treatment plants. The presence of all these contaminants undesirably compromise the quality of water and shows a serious threat to human beings and aquatic organisms. This issue is inevitably increased because of the lack of efficient technologies for the proper disposal, management, and recycling of waste. Enzyme holds a promising role to mitigate any kinds of contaminating agents in the environment, in a specific, easy to monitor, and highly controllable manner. Enzyme-based processes offer many advantages such as low energy input, non-toxicity, ability to operate under mild aqueous conditions, reduced amount of sludge generation. In the presented proposal, the main research objectives are to design immobilized peroxidases-based robust bio-catalytic systems using two different immobilizing supports as well as novel ‘metal-organic frameworks’ (MOFs), and their exploitation to degrade a diverse set of emerging pollutants. The ideal processing conditions will be then utilized in an immobilized peroxidases-based bio-catalytic reactor for real-time monitoring and the continuous or semi-continuous enzymatic treatment of ECs and ECs-mediated polluted solutions. The proposed research project is interdisciplinary and the obtained data would meaningfully enrich the cutting-edge knowledge in the field of applied biology, material science, biotechnology, process engineering, and environmental protection by providing information on the development of new immobilization supports for peroxidases and mitigation of emerging contaminants.
Summary of project results
The project’s aims were focused on the intersection of biocatalysis, material chemistry and environmental sustainability, which covered the development of highly efficient peroxidase-based biocatalytic systems using innovative methodologies. Efficient methods were needed to reduce the impact of emerging contaminants in water bodies. These contaminants pose significant risks to human health, wildlife and ecosystems, necessitating innovative approaches for their removal. The project aimed to effectively degrade micropollutants by implementing and improving the catalytic potential of peroxidase enzymes to address the limitations and improve the traditional water remediation techniques. By focusing on the immobilization of enzymes on varying support materials, the project aimed to enhance their stability and reusability, overcoming challenges associated with enzyme elution, degradation and loss of activity.
The project involved a comprehensive study of different methods for immobilizing enzymes, including the production, characterization, and application of peroxidases, such as horseradish peroxidase (HRP), lignin peroxidase (LiP), and manganese peroxidase (MnP), as well as other peroxidases, including Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis leaves peroxidase and Citrus limon peroxidase, in biocatalytic systems. Initially, tested peroxidases were produced and subjected to thorough characterization to understand their catalytic properties and optimal conditions for activity. Subsequently, these enzymes were immobilized on different support materials, including chitosan-based hybrid materials and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), through a series of optimization steps. The interactions between enzymes and carriers were deeply investigated, employing techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to confirm successful immobilization. Importantly, the project evaluated the performance of these immobilized enzymes in removing specific micropollutants from model solutions, demonstrating their efficacy in environmental remediation. Moreover, the project culminated in the design and validation of an enzymatic reactor concept, paving the way for scalable and sustainable wastewater treatment solutions.
The project achieved significant milestones by effectively immobilizing peroxidases and elucidating their catalytic properties, stability, and reusability. The biocatalytic systems were highly effective in removing specific micropollutants, like estrogens or dyes from water solutions, demonstrating their practical use in broad spectrum of applications. In addition, the project played a significant role in promoting interdisciplinary progress by encouraging cooperation between the fields of materials engineering, biotechnology, and environmental science. The project''s valuable insights, findings and results were shared with the broad research community through presentations at domestic and international conferences and publications in prestigious scientific journals. Efforts to promote gender equality within the project team underscored its commitment to inclusivity and diversity. By addressing ethical considerations and promoting gender equality within the project team, the project exemplified a commitment to responsible research practices and inclusivity. Furthermore, through extensive engagement with stakeholders and dissemination activities, the project ensured the translation of research outcomes into tangible societal benefits, thus advancing the field.