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Updated: Mar 31, 2026

A Complete Method for Evaluating the Performance of Photocatalysts for the Degradation of Antibiotics in Environmental Remediation
Published on: October 6, 2022
Towards high potential magnetic biocatalysts for on-demand elimination of pharmaceuticals
Vaidyanathan Vinoth Kumar1, Hubert Cabana2
1Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM University, Kattankulathur, Chennai 603203, India; Department of Civil Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Québec J1K 2R1, Canada.
Abstract:
The present study investigated the applicability of a laccase based bioprocess for the treatment of a mixture containing 13 selected pharmaceuticals. To do so, laccase was immobilized as cross-linked enzyme aggregates (MAC-CLEAs) on amine functionalized magnetic nanoparticles using chitosan/1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDAC) as the cross-linking system. The activity recovery of laccase reached 61.4% under the optimal conditions of MAC-CLEAs formation. The latter exhibited enhanced storage stability over one year at 4°C and showed better temperature resistance compared to its soluble counterpart. The biocatalysts were properly recycled and the catalytic activity recovery was good even after a hundred and fifty batch reactions. Complete removal of pharmaceuticals like acetaminophen, diclofenac, mefenamic acid, atenolol and epoxy carbamazepine and partial removal of fenofibrate, diazepam, trimethoprim, and ketoprofen by laccase was achieved within 12h of incubation, whereas efficient removal of indometacin required the presence of mediator.
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