Role of insoluble enzymes in anaerobic wastewater treatment and enzyme‐bioactivator interactions

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Abstract
Five insoluble hydrolases (cellulase, phosphatase, protease, lipase and urease) were localized in the solid phase of an anaerobic residual sludge. Several washing treatments were tested to evaluate the binding forces between the enzymes and the solid matter. This interaction was compared to that obtained with a bioactivator composed of mineral microparticles. Urease was found to be strongly bound and unaffected by all the washing procedures tested, whereas, the phosphatase was rapidly and completely bound but could be easily removed by a non ionic detergent. The other enzymes had intermediate binding characteristics. Attempts to degrade cellulose under batch anaerobic conditions showed an increase of the hyrolysis and acetogenesis rates due to enzyme‐activator complex.