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Enzyme immobilization on hydrogels: An overview on methods, interactions, and divers applications
Shohreh Ariaeenejad1, Elaheh Motamedi2, Mehri Salimi3
1Department of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|November 30, 2025
Summary
Hydrogels offer a promising platform for enzyme immobilization, enhancing enzyme stability and reusability. This review explores hydrogel-enzyme conjugates for diverse applications, highlighting progress and future directions in biotechnology.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Hydrogels provide a biocompatible, porous, and flexible matrix for enzyme immobilization.
- Immobilization overcomes challenges of free enzymes like instability, leaching, and mass transfer limitations.
- Advanced hydrogel architectures improve enzyme activity, stability, and reusability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the synthesis, interactions, and applications of hydrogel-enzyme bioconjugates.
- To examine recent progress and practical uses in biocatalysis, biosensing, environmental cleanup, medical diagnostics, and food processing.
- To identify challenges and future directions for hydrogel-enzyme systems.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on hydrogel-enzyme immobilization.
- Analysis of various immobilization strategies (adsorption, covalent bonding, entrapment, encapsulation).
- Examination of advanced hydrogel architectures (nanocomposites, stimuli-responsive, smart polymers).
Main Results:
- Hydrogel matrices create a protective microenvironment, preserving enzyme conformation and improving catalysis.
- Immobilization strategies significantly impact enzyme characteristics and activity.
- Hydrogel-enzyme conjugates show potential in diverse industrial and scientific fields.
Conclusions:
- Hydrogel-enzyme bioconjugates offer enhanced enzyme performance and broad applicability.
- Continued development is needed in scalability, mechanical robustness, and cost-efficiency.
- Optimizing enzyme-support interactions and engineering multifunctional hydrogels are key for future biotechnological solutions.
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