ENHANCING BIOCATALYST RETENTION VIA SURFACE FUNCTIONALIZATION OF 3D-PRINTED ABS CARRIERS

This study compares cell immobilization on 3D-printed ABS carrier beads with and without glutaraldehyde surface treatment. Non-functionalized beads showed 49.60% immobilization efficiency due to weak adsorption forces, while glutaraldehyde-functionalized beads reached 71.87% efficiency via covalent bonding. Cell viability was also evaluated: adsorption-based immobilization resulted in 1.2 × 10⁶ CFU/mL, while covalent immobilization yielded 3.7 × 10⁴ CFU/mL. These results demonstrate the crucial role of surface chemistry in enhancing biocatalyst retention.