Characterization of the catalytic ability and surface properties of a heterogeneous biocatalyst obtained by the sol-gel method

A heterogeneous biocatalyst was obtained by immobilizing the cells of the yeast Debaryomyces hansenii VKM Y-2482 and the bacteria Paracoccus yeei VKM B-3302 into an organosilica material using the sol-gel method. The catalytic activity of immobilized cells was characterized using a heterogeneous biocatalyst as a bioreceptor element of the biosensor. The surface properties of the synthesized material were studied using the BET and BJH methods. It was shown that a heterogeneous biocatalyst with a composition of 50 vol.% MTES and 50 vol.% TEOS exhibited the highest catalytic efficiency. The formed material was mesoporous with slit-like pores. It was shown that the BOD-biosensor with the developed heterogeneous biocatalyst allows data to be obtained that were consistent with the certified method for determining the BOD. Graphical abstract