Laccase immobilization on amino-functionalized magnetic metal organic framework for phenolic compound removal

An amino-functionalized magnetic metal organic framework (MOF), Fe₃O₄-NH₂@MIL-101(Cr), was employed for laccase immobilization for the first time. The immobilized laccase was synthesized by the adsorption and covalent binding method, thus exhibited high activity recovery, large immobilization capacity and good tolerance to low pH and high temperature conditions. The excellent stability enabled the immobilized laccase to retain 89% of its initial activity after storage for 28 days. When the ambient temperature reached 85 °C, the immobilized laccase showed 49.1% residual activity even after 6 h preservation. The stability of laccase in organic solvents such as methanol was also greatly improved. Application of the immobilized laccase for 2,4-dichlorophenol removal was also investigated. The adsorption by Fe₃O₄-NH₂@MIL-101(Cr) contributed to a quick removal in the first hour, and the removal efficiency reached 87% eventually. When the reaction was completed, the immobilized laccase could be separated from the solution by a magnet. The results introduced a novel support for laccase immobilization, and the immobilized laccase had great potential in wastewater treatment.