Nanobiocatalysts: Potential Applications in Biofuel Production and Biotransformation

ABSTRACT Enzymes are widely employed in bioprocesses as catalysts to enhance biofuel and value‐added compound (VACs) production. To improve product yield in these processes, researchers are working on various methods. Among them, nanobiocatalysts (NBCs) are promising, in which enzymes are immobilized onto a nanocarriers. This facilitates improvements in the activity, stability, and recyclability of the immobilized enzymes and reduces the cost of the treatment process. Different nanocarriers, such as organic, inorganic, hybrid, and functionalized materials, have gained attention for immobilizing single and multiple enzymes. Exploiting NBCs to improve hydrolysis, fermenting the substrate to produce biofuels such as bioethanol and biohydrogen, and enhancing the transesterification process for biodiesel are discussed. The role of NBCs in the bioconversion of various substrates to generate VACs and the use of single and multienzyme cascade systems for biotransformation are discussed. The review critically evaluates the efficiency of current nanobiocatalytic systems and highlights strategies to enhance their performance for practical applications. Finally, the review concludes by highlighting the challenges NBCs face in real‐time implementations and outlining possible areas for NBC applications in biorefineries.