Enzyme immobilization enhances enzyme stability and recyclability for industrial use, but traditional quantification methods are slow, error-prone, and cannot assess enzymes inside pores. This study presents Time-Domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (TD-NMR) relaxometry as a non-invasive, direct technique to measure enzyme adsorption in porous epoxy methyl acrylate carriers. Changes in relaxation times correlate with enzyme concentration, enabling an NMR-based pore-filling ratio to quantify loading. TD-NMR results closely match traditional photometric data, providing a reliable and cost-effective alternative. The method is suitable for real-time monitoring and adaptable to various carriers and enzymes.
Highlights of this research:
- Time-Domain NMR detects enzyme adsorption in porous carriers.
- T2 relaxation times in porous carriers correlate with enzyme concentration.
- An NMR pore-filling model links T2 relaxation times to enzyme loading.
- Validation with epoxy methyl acrylate carriers agrees with photometric data.
M. Raquel Serial, Luca Schmidt, Muhammad Adrian, Grit Brauckmann, Stefan Benders, Victoria Bueschler, Andreas Liese, Alexander Penn (2026). A novel method for quantifying enzyme immobilization in porous carriers using simple NMR relaxometry. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 225, 109909.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2025.109909.
