Enzymes, as highly efficient biocatalysts, play a crucial role in diverse biotechnological applications. However, enzyme (re)purification and recovery challenges pose substantial obstacles, rendering them costly for industrial utilization. Addressing this, our study developed mesoporous zinc ferrite nanoparticles coated with amine-functionalized mesoporous silica structure (ZnFe2O4@MS) through the solvothermal method. These nanoparticles are an effective nano-support for immobilizing Candida rugosa Lipase (CRL), ensuring easy separability and recoverability through a magnetic field and providing a significant surface area for high mass transference capacity. Immobilizing the lipase on the nano-support (ZnFe2O4@MS/CRL) through covalent bonds on the surface and within the pores led to a notable increase in enzyme activity from 324 U/mg for free enzyme to 689 U/mg for immobilized enzyme. This indicates unchanged active sites post-immobilization, accompanied by enhanced catalytic activity. The immobilized lipases demonstrated prolonged stability at elevated temperatures, maintaining over 59% of initial catalytic activity through five cycles. Furthermore, ZnFe2O4@MS/CRL exhibited substantial antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, more than that observed in Gram-negative bacteria. The immobilized lipase was also effective in synthesizing banana flavor (isoamyl acetate) in n-hexane, achieving 64% esterification at 45 °C after 4 h. Overall, the study underscores the industrial promise of this immobilized enzyme system, emphasizing its potential for sustainable and cost-effective biotechnological processes.

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