Enzymes: new uses for old hazards

Industrial enzymes are manufactured from fungal (50%), bacterial (35%), animal and plant sources (15%); microbial sources being preferred for economic and technical reasons [1]. Since the 1960s different classes of microbial enzymes were added progressively to laundry and then to dishwashing detergents; in more recent years, enzymes have been introduced into skincare products and now consumers have ‘the first enzyme-boosted whitening toothpaste’. Such developments in consumer products provide little indication of the large-scale interest in and burgeoning of new industrial uses for enzyme technology. Principal drivers for this growth are the sustainability agenda and advances in biotechnol ogy. The use of enzymes in beverage, food, leather, paper, pharmaceutical, textile and other industries has escalated because enzymes can help to reduce manufacturing costs through process efficiencies; with reduced use of energy, water and raw materials; and reduced waste production [2,3]. Enzymes are used to manufacture biodegradable polymer and to treat toxic waste chemicals such as phenol, nitriles and aromatic amines; and in paper product manufacture enzymes enable more use of recycled paper [3].
Source: Occupational Medicine - Category: Respiratory Medicine Source Type: research