Removal of bisphenol A in aqueous solution using magnetic cross-linked laccase aggregates from Trametes hirsuta

Enzymatic removal of Bisphenol A (BPA), acknowledged as an environmentally friendly approach, is a promising method to deal with hard degradable contaminants. However, the application of "enzymatic treatment" has been limited due to lower operational stability and practical difficulties associated with recovery and recycling. Enzyme immobilization is an innovative approach which circumvents these drawbacks. In this study, laccase from Trametes hirsuta was used for BPA removal. Amino-functionalized magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized via the co-precipitation method followed by surface modification with (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS). The as-prepared nanoparticles were utilized for the immobilization of laccase with the magnetic cross-linked enzyme aggregates method (MCLEAs). Activity recovery of 27% was achieved, while no immobilized laccase was observed in the cross-linked enzyme aggregates method. The performance of immobilized laccase was measured by analyzing the degradation of BPA pollutant. The maximum removal efficiency of 87.3% was attained with an initial concentration of 60 ppm throughout 11 h.