UCLA

Enzymatic biocatalysts offer the advantage of functioning without substrates or conditions required by living organisms. Solid support immobilization of enzymes aims to enhance stability and longevity but confronts issues like reduced activity and utilization of hazardous materials. Addressing these issues is critical for applications in environmental bioremediation.This investigation evaluates two nanomaterials—vault nanoparticles and boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs), known as "white graphene"—as supports for enzyme immobilization. Vault nanoparticles provide extensive space for enzyme bonding, increasing purity and minimizing leakage, while BNNSs, typically used in medicine, exhibit potential for enzyme support with proper surface modifications. These materials were tested with fungal laccase, an enzyme from wood-rot fungi with high redox potential, making it ideal for synthetic dye degradation. Vault-encapsulated laccase was particularly effective in decomposing industrial dyes. A novel in vivo vault-packaged laccase system was used for 1,4-dioxane degradation. Laccase immobilized on BNNSs was also tested against atrazine, a prevalent herbicide, to demonstrate its potential in managing agricultural pollutants. Moreover, the study explored fungal cultivation on sorghum, offering a viable alternative to traditional immobilization for environmental applications. This work shed light on how fungi metabolize per- and polyfluorinated compounds (PFASs) through enzymatic and metabolomic perspectives as well. In conclusion, this research validated the effectiveness of enzyme nanohybrids and fungi on solid substrates for treating water and other environmental remediation efforts. It highlighted the strategic deployment of enzyme-immobilized nanomaterials and microbial cultivation to selectively address specific industrial pollutants, positioning these methods as crucial tools for sustainable environmental management.