Enzyme Encapsulation in Mesoporous Metal–Organic Frameworks for Selective Biodegradation of Harmful Dye Molecules

International audienceMicroperoxidase-8, a small, peroxidase-type enzyme was successfully immobilized into nanoparticles of the mesoporous and ultra-stable MIL-101(Cr). The immobilized enzyme retained fully its catalytic activity and exhibited enhanced resistance to acidic conditions. The biocatalyst was reusable and showed a long-term stability. By exploiting the properties of the MOF's framework, we demonstrated, for the first time, that the MOF matrix could act in synergy with the enzyme (Microperoxidase-8) and enhance selectivity the oxidation reaction of dyes. The oxidation rate of the harmful negatively charged dye (methyl orange) was significantly increased after enzyme immobilization, most likely due to the preconcentration of the methyl orange reactant due to a charge matching between this dye and the MOF