Problem Solving in Enzyme Biocatalysis

Enzyme biocatalysis is a fast-growing area in process biotechnology that has expanded from the traditional fields of foods, detergents, and leather applications to more sophisticated uses in the pharmaceutical and fine-chemicals sectors and environmental management. Conventional applications of industrial enzymes are expected to grow, with major opportunities in the detergent and animal feed sectors, and new uses in biofuel production and human and animal therapy.

In order to design more efficient enzyme reactors and evaluate performance properly, sound mathematical expressions must be developed which consider enzyme kinetics, material balances, and eventual mass transfer limitations. With a focus on problem solving, each chapter provides abridged coverage of the subject, followed by a number of solved problems illustrating resolution procedures and the main concepts underlying them, plus supplementary questions and answers.

Based on more than 50 years of teaching experience, Problem Solving in Enzyme Biocatalysis is a unique reference for students of chemical and biochemical engineering, as well as biochemists and chemists dealing with bioprocesses.

Contains: Enzyme properties and applications; enzyme kinetics; enzyme reactor design and operation 146 worked problems and solutions in enzyme biocatalysis. 

Andrés Illanes is Professor in the School of Biochemical Engineering at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile. He has been researching enzyme biocatalysis since the 1970s, having done research in the main topics related to enzyme technology, and taught many courses at the undergraduate, M.Sc and Ph.D level in the subject both in Chile and abroad. He has authored over 80 ISI journal publications, several book chapters and three books on this topic, the latest with Springer 2008 Enzyme Biocatalysis: Principles and Applications.

Lorena Wilson is Associate Professor at the School of Biochemical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso. She has worked on enzyme biocatalysis since her time as an undergraduate and done research in aspects related mostly to biocatalyst engineering and enzyme reactor performance. She has more than ten years teaching experience focused mostly on the subject of enzyme biocatalysis. She is a Biochemical Engineer with a PhD from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain. Dr Wilson is also author of more than 40 ISI publications in high ranked journals and several book chapters.

Carlos Vera works in the School of Biochemical Engineering at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile.