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Effect of Mass Transfer
Effect of Mass Transfer
Enzymes
- are MACROMOLECULAR BIOLOGICAL CATALYST. The molecules upon which
enzymes may act are called substrates and the enzyme converts the substrate into different
molecules. It increases the reaction rate by lowering the activation energy.
Immobilized Enzymes
- Attached to an inert, insoluble material called matrix – such as calcium alginate, agar, k
–carrageenan, polyacrylamide and collagen. For example, with the use of calcium alginate. It is
produced by reacting of sodium alginate solution and enzyme solution with calcium chloride.
- Increased resistance to changes in conditions such pH or temperature.
Rate-Determining Step
- it is the slowest step of a chemical reaction that determines the speed (rate) at which the overall
reaction proceeds.
- In catalytic reaction, the overall rate of reaction is equal to the rate of the slowest step in the
mechanism.
NON-POROUS MATRIX
Damköhler Number (Da)
• For Surface (Bound) Immobilization such as
Adsorption and Covalent Bonding.
• The rate of enzymatic reaction rate depends on the
relative rate of the reaction rate and the diffusion
rate, which is characterized by Damköhler number:
𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒
Da =
𝐷𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒
Da>>1 – reaction rate is greater than diffusion rate.
Therefore, the enzymatic reaction is diffusion limited.
Da<<1 – diffusion rate is greater than reaction rate
POROUS MATRIX
Note: 1,2,7&6 are diffusion steps while 3,4&5 are reaction steps
External Diffusion
Mass transfer of the substrate from the bulk fluid to the external surface of the
catalyst.
Internal Diffusion
When the internal diffusion is the rate-determining step, the overall rate will be
unaffected by the rate of external diffusion. Conversely, whatever the fluid velocity
outside the pores, it will not affect the velocity of fluid inside the immobilized enzyme.
Particle Sizes
• It should be small as possible to facilitate particle integrity, resistance to compression
and nature of particle recovery of the system.
• Change in pH will result in alteration of intrinsic enzyme activity and ionic constituents.
Steric Effect
• Enzyme activity toward a high-molecular weight substrate is usually reduced upon
immobilization due to steric hindrance.
• Low – molecular substrate – it is easy for a substrate to penetrate the active sites of the
immobilized enzymes.
References
Stryer L, Berg JM, Tymoczko JL (2002). Biochemistry (5th ed.). San Francisco: W.H.
Freeman. ISBN 0-7167-4955-6.
Radzicka A, Wolfenden R (January 1995). "A proficient enzyme". Science. 267 (5194):
90–931
Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering by Fogler
Bioprocess Engineering Principles by Pauline M. Duran