Immobilization of yeast cells in several conducting polymer matrices

Immobilization of yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in different polymer matrices was performed by constant potential electrolysis. These matrices were polypyrrole (PPy); poly(methyl methacrylate)/polypyrrole (,PMMA/PPy) and thiophene-capped poly(methyl methacrylate)/ polypyrrole (TPMMA/PPy). The characterization of PMMA/PPy copolymer was achieved by Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The invertase activity of immobilized yeast cells was determined. Optimum temperature, Michaelis-Menten constants and maximum reaction rates of the enzyme electrodes were compared with those of free yeast cells. The operational and storage stabilities of three different immobilization systems were analyzed.