5.3 Application of Enzymes in Daily Life
Enzymes play a vital role in our daily lives and are extensively used across commercial and industrial sectors. They can be sourced from natural organisms like bacteria or manufactured synthetically. Through modern methods like immobilized enzyme technology, enzymes can work more efficiently and stably to produce commercial goods ranging from food and clothing to medical treatments and detergents.
Learning Objectives
- Explain how enzymes are produced or extracted for commercial use.
- Define immobilized enzymes and immobilized enzyme technology.
- Explain the advantages of immobilized enzyme technology in terms of stability and separation.
- Identify specific enzymes and their applications in daily life and various industries (food, detergent, leather, medical).
Industrial Applications of Enzymes and Immobilized Enzyme Technology
Immobilized enzymes attach to inert matrices, while specific enzymes power different industries.
Medical
Digestive enzymes are used in the medical sector.
Juice production
Pectinase and cellulase extract and clarify fruit juices.
Dairy
Lactose enzymes produce lactose-free milk.
Bio detergents
Amylase, lipase, protease and cellulase break down stains.
Leather
Trypsin extracts fur from animal hide.
Fish processing
Protease separates fish skin.
Short Explanation
What are immobilized enzymes?
Immobilized enzymes are enzymes combined with inert and insoluble substances. This technology increases the resistance of enzymes towards changes in environmental factors such as pH and temperature.
How are enzymes produced?
Enzymes are extracted from natural resources such as bacteria. They can also be produced synthetically. Both sources are widely used in the commercial sector and for everyday use.
Why immobilize enzymes?
Immobilized enzyme molecules remain in the same position throughout the catalytic reaction. They can also be separated easily from their products after the reaction, making them suitable for industrial manufacturing.
Enzymes in food and drink
Pectinase and cellulase enzymes are used to extract and clarify fruit juices. Lactose enzymes are used in producing lactose-free milk.
Enzymes in other industries
Protease separates fish skin. Trypsin extracts fur from animal hide to manufacture leather products. Amylase, lipase, protease and cellulase are incorporated into bio detergents to break down stains.
Try to Answer First
Answer in your mind, then press “Check Answer”.
How are enzymes produced for commercial use?
How does immobilized enzyme technology help in industrial enzyme reactions?
Give examples of industries that use enzymes in the manufacturing of products.
Common Mistakes
- Thinking that enzymes used in bio detergents only consist of proteases; in fact, bio detergents use a mixture of amylase, lipase, protease, and cellulase to target different types of stains.
- Believing that immobilized enzymes are permanently mixed into the final consumer product, when in fact they are bound to insoluble materials so they can be easily separated from the product.
- Assuming enzymes can only be obtained from natural living organisms, overlooking that they can also be produced synthetically.
Concept Misunderstandings
Immobilized enzymes are chemically altered and no longer function as catalysts.
Immobilized enzymes retain their catalytic activity; they are simply bound physically or chemically to inert, insoluble substances to improve thermal and pH stability and facilitate product separation.
Only one specific enzyme is used in all cleaning detergents.
Bio detergents contain multiple distinct enzymes (amylase for starches, lipase for fats/oils, protease for proteins, and cellulase for cellulose fibres) to tackle varied stains.
Summary
- Enzymes are extracted from bacteria or produced synthetically for commercial applications.
- Immobilized enzyme technology attaches enzymes to inert and insoluble substances, conferring greater resistance to pH and temperature changes, keeping enzymes localized during reactions, and allowing effortless separation from the final product.
- Key industrial applications include juice production (pectinase and cellulase), bio detergents (amylase, lipase, protease, and cellulase), leather manufacturing (trypsin), lactose-free milk production (lactose enzymes), fish processing (protease), and medical treatments (digestive enzymes).
Short Activity
Objective: identify enzymes and their industrial applications.
A. Objective Quiz
Which enzyme is used to extract fur from animal hide in the manufacturing of leather products?
What is an advantage of immobilized enzyme technology?
B. Fill in the Blanks
Immobilized enzymes are enzymes that combine with inert and substances to increase their resistance to changes in pH and temperature.
In the beverage industry, and cellulase enzymes are used in juice production.
C. Matching / Drag and Drop
Match each enzyme or enzyme mixture to its correct industrial application. On a phone, tap a choice first, then tap the matching box. Tap the Answer Choices area to return a selected item.
C. Match the Enzyme to Its Industrial Application
Write the correct enzyme or enzyme mixture next to each application.
| Industrial Application | Enzyme |
|---|---|
| 1. Used in juice production | |
| 2. Separates fish skin | |
| 3. Extracts fur from animal hide to make leather | |
| 4. Added to bio detergents for cleaning |
Answer choices: Pectinase and cellulase • Protease • Trypsin • Amylase, lipase, protease and cellulase
