Microgel-stabilized smart emulsions for biocatalysis.

Emulsions stabilized by stimuli-responsive microgels were used to perform enzyme catalysis. Many substrates are poorly water-soluble, while enzymes naturally require aqueous environments, thus resulting in a two-phase aqueous-organic system. Smart microgels allow an enzyme-catalyzed reaction to be performed in an emulsion that can be broken under controlled conditions to separate the reaction product and to recycle the enzyme (E) and the microgel.