Poster Presentation 1B-14

The Effect of Enzyme Attachment Method on Biomicroreactor Design and Operation

James Palmer¹, Bill B. Elmore¹*, Rob Bailey² and Francis Jones²

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University

POB 10348 T.S., Ruston, LA 71272

Phone: (318)257-2483

Fax: (318)257-2562

E-mail: belmore@coes.latech.edu

²Chemical and Environmental Engineering

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN 37403-2598

The objective of this study is to examine the reactive characteristics of two enzyme attachment methods and to determine the influence of these techniques on microbioreactor design and operation.

The first immobilization technique is entrapment of enzyme in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The biomaterial thus formed is micromolded into a microchannel-based reactor. The second technique is attachment onto PDMS using a layer-by-layer self assembly process. This investigation comprises batch reactor experiments and computer simulations. Urease and catalase enzymes are currently being evaluated. The computer simulations (using CFDRC ACE+ software) explore novel continuous flow reactor geometries within the constraints of the operating conditions and fabrication techniques for the purpose of improving continuous microreactor design.

Results will be presented for several experiments utilizing the various immobilization techniques.