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Enzymes are often used as nonrecoverable chemical reagents, in which case they are added to the substrate, incubated at the required temperature and pH for a period and subsequently destroyed. Amylase, proteases and other inexpensive bulk enzymes are used in this way. Alternatively, enzymes may be attached to an inert support (immobilized). This offers the advantages of (1) recovery and re-use of the enzymes, in batch reactors; and (2) the development of continuouly operated enzyme reactions similar to continuous fermentation systems used for microorganisms; (3) the possibility of multienzyme systems; and (4) the enzyme does not remain in the processed solution. However, there are some disadvantages, the enzyme may be stabilized by immobilization but it may also lose activity, and the process becomes technically more complex. |
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