Nanoparticles decorated carbon nanotubes as novel matrix: A comparative study of influences of immobilization on the catalytic properties of Lensculinarisβ-galactosidase (Lcβ-gal).

In the present study, Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) decorated with two different nanoparticles namely tungsten disulfide (WS2) and tin oxide (SnO2), nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized via hydrothermal method. Spectroscopic studies showed that both synthesized NCs possess nearly same functional groups but MWCNT-SnO2 NCs are rich in O-functional group. Microscopic studies revealed that both NCs have different morphological microstructure. Lens culinaris β-galactosidase (Lcβ-gal) was immobilized using glutaraldehyde cross-linker resulted in immobilization efficiency of 91.5% and 88% with MWCNT-WS2 and MWCNT-SnO2 NCs, respectively. Remarkable increase in rate of hydrolysis of whey lactose has been observed with both NCs i.e. Lcβ-gal immobilized MWCNT-WS2 hydrolyzes the 97% whey lactose in 1.5 h while MWCNT-SnO2 showed maximum 92% of whey hydrolysis in 2 h at optimum conditions. Both nanobiocatalyst could serve as a promising candidates for dairy industries and would offer a potential platform for enzyme based biosensor fabrication.