<br/>Biocatalytic cells displaying functional enzymes on their surface have the ability to catalyze the degradation of persistent micropollutants with high enzyme accessibility and stability. However, the high migration and limited processing capability of suspended biocatalytic cells remains a major challenge for practical applications in water treatment. In this study, we fabricated a new category of biocatalytic membranes (BCMs) by immobilizing biocatalytic cells, i.e., surface displayed laccase (SDL) yeast cells, on microporous membranes via inkjet printing and chemical crosslinking. The incorporation of SDL biocatalytic cells on the surface of the membranes was confirmed by microscopy and elemental analysis as well as enzyme assay tests. It was demonstrated that the enzyme activity of the BCMs could be systematically controlled by rationally altering the printing parameters. The viability, regeneration, and high storage stability of SDL cells were maintained in the BCM platform. Furthermore, the BCMs could be reused with high stability as they retained 76% of their initial activity after ten repeated reaction cycles. In comparison, the activity of freely-suspended SDL cells declined to 42% of its initial activity after ten reaction cycles. Finally, the effectiveness of BCMs in treating emerging contaminants was confirmed using bisphenol A and acetaminophen as proof-of-concept substrates. The results of this study demonstrate that BCMs addressed the process concerns of suspended biocatalytic cells and have the potential to be incorporated into membrane-based separation and pollutant degradation. <br/>

Biocatalytic membranes prepared by inkjet printing functionalized yeast cells onto microfiltration substrates

255th National Meeting (2018)

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