Laccase functionalized cellulose acetate for the removal of toxic combustion products

The ability of Trametes villosa laccase immobilized on cellulose acetate to reduce/eliminate combustions toxicants was investigated using a model enzyme filter design. In the initial stages, various strategies of grafting laccase onto cellulose acetate polymers including partial deacetylated cellulose acetate followed by generation of reactive groups using either periodate or 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxy radical (TEMPO) and the use of different spacer arms [1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDAC); 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDGE)] and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane was investigated. The best process for effective immobilization of laccase onto both cellulose acetate powders and tows were those involving partial deacetylation, TEMPO activation to generate carboxylic groups, treatment with EDAC as a spacer arm followed by adding the enzyme. This procedure resulted in 45 units/mg laccase activity (28% increase in activity of immobilized enzyme) measured using ABTS as substrate as compared to the other strategies used to immobilize laccase. Further, the immobilized enzyme was able to oxidize > 60% of toxicants resorcinol, hydroquinone and methylcatechol passing through the model enzyme filter. This study therefore demonstrates the great possibility of immobilizing laccase onto modified cellulose acetate and the great potential application of immobilized laccase to remove toxicants during combustion.