The application of enzyme‐based systems in waste treatment is unusual, given that many drawbacks are derived from their use, including low efficiency, high costs and easy deactivation of the enzyme. The goal of this study is the development of a degradation system based on the use of the ligninolytic enzyme manganese peroxidase (MnP) for the degradation of azo dyes. The experimental work also includes the optimization of the process, with the objective of determining the influence of specific physicochemical factors, such as organic acids, H ₂ O ₂ addition, Mn ²⁺ concentration, pH, temperature, enzyme activity and dye concentration. A nearly total decolorization was possible at very low reaction times (10 min) and at high dye concentration (up to 1500 mg L ^{− 1} ). A specific oxidation capacity as high as 10 mg dye degraded per unit of MnP consumed was attained for a decolorization higher than 90%. Among all, the main factor affecting process efficiency was the strategy of H ₂ O ₂ addition. The continuous addition at a controlled flow permitted the progressive participation of H ₂ O ₂ in the catalytic cycle through a suitable regeneration of the oxidized form of the enzyme, which enhanced both the extent and the rate of decolorization. It was also found that, in this particular case, the presence of a chelating organic acid (e.g., malonic) was not required for an effective operation. Probably, Mn ³⁺ was chelated by the dye itself. The simplicity and high efficiency of the process open an interesting possibility of using of MnP for solving other environmental problems.

Enzyme-catalyzed production of biodiesel is the object of extensive research due to the global shortage of fossil fuels and increased environmental concerns. Herein we report the preparation and main characteristics of a novel biocatalyst consisting of Cross-Linked Enzyme Aggregates (CLEAs) of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) which are covalently bound to magnetic nanoparticles, and tackle its use for the synthesis of biodiesel from non-edible vegetable and waste frying oils. For this purpose, insolubilized CALB was covalently cross-linked to magnetic nanoparticles of magnetite which the surface was functionalized with –NH₂ groups. The resulting biocatalyst combines the relevant catalytic properties of CLEAs (as great stability and feasibility for their reutilization) and the magnetic character, and thus the final product (mCLEAs) are superparamagnetic particles of a robust catalyst which is more stable than the free enzyme, easily recoverable from the reaction medium and reusable for new catalytic cycles. We have studied the main properties of this biocatalyst and we have assessed its utility to catalyze transesterification reactions to obtain biodiesel from non-edible vegetable oils including unrefined soybean, jatropha and cameline, as well as waste frying oil. Using 1% mCLEAs (w/w of oil) conversions near 80% were routinely obtained at 30°C after 24 h of reaction, this value rising to 92% after 72 h. Moreover, the magnetic biocatalyst can be easily recovered from the reaction mixture and reused for at least ten consecutive cycles of 24 h without apparent loss of activity. The obtained results suggest that mCLEAs prepared from CALB can become a powerful biocatalyst for application at industrial scale with better performance than those currently available.

In the present work an enzymatic membrane reactor (EMR) for the oxidation of azo dyes by manganese peroxidase (MnP) has been developed. The configuration consisted of a stirred tank reactor coupled with an ultrafiltration membrane. The membrane allowed for most of the enzymatic activity to be recovered while both the parent dye and the degradation products could pass through. Different operational strategies (batch, fed‐batch, and continuous) and parameters such as enzyme activity, H₂O₂ feeding rate, hydraulic retention time (in continuous operation), and dye loading rate were studied. At best conditions, a continuous operation with a dye decolorization higher than 85% and minimal enzymatic deactivation was feasible for 18 days, attaining an efficiency of 42.5 mg Orange II oxidized/MnP unit consumed.