Recent advancements in enzyme-incorporated nanomaterials: Synthesis, mechanistic formation, and applications

Over the past decade, nanotechnology has been developed and employed across various entities. Among the numerous nanostructured material types, enzyme-incorporated nanomaterials have shown great potential in various fields, as an alternative to biologically derived as well as synthetically developed hybrid structures. The mechanism of incorporating enzyme onto a nanostructure depends on several factors including the method of immobilization, type of nanomaterial, as well as operational and environmental conditions. The prospects of enzyme-incorporated nanomaterials have shown promising results across various applications, such as biocatalysts, biosensors, drug therapy, and wastewater treatment. This is due to their excellent ability to exhibit chemical and physical properties such as high surface-to-volume ratio, recovery and/or reusability rates, sensitivity, response scale, and stable catalytic activity across wide operating conditions. In this review, the evolution of enzyme-incorporated nanomaterials along with their impact on our society due to its state-of-the-art properties, and its significance across different industrial applications are discussed. In addition, the weakness and future prospects of enzyme-incorporated nanomaterials were also discussed to guide scientists for futuristic research and development in this field.