Effect of operational parameters on the performance of a magnetic responsive biocatalytic membrane reactor.

In this work, the performance of an innovative magnetic responsive biocatalytic membrane reactor (BMR SP ) has been investigated under various operational parameters. In particular, feed concentrations, flow rates across the bed, temperature and amount of biocatalytic bead were varied to probe the flow-dependent transport and kinetic properties of the reaction and the subsequent hydrolytic performance of the BMR SP . The rate of fouling for the BMR SP was always lower than a corresponding control system. For a given enzymatic concentration, a constant foulant hydrolyzing capacity is identified. At 3 g/m 2 pectinase containing bionanocomposites, the BMR SP hydrolytic efficiency was 1.5 g/m 2 h. This efficiency was further increased by increasing the amount of bionanocomposites per membrane area. This further allowed the BMR SP to hydrolyze higher loads of foulants while keeping a low if not zero increase in TMP over time at constant flux. Identification of an optimal operating condition laid the platform for continuous operation of the BMR SP over 200 h, without visible transmembrane pressure drift while maintaining constant flux. Product assay in the permeate gave constant value in the entire duration, i.e., no enzymatic activity decay owing to stable enzyme immobilization and no leakage through the pores of the membrane owing to the synergistic magnetic interaction between the magnetic membrane and magnetic bionanocomposites. The obtained stability over a broad range of operational parameters and sustainable performance over long period gives a high prospect to the newly developed BMR SP to be utilized in continuous biocatalysis and separation, thereby significantly improved process efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]