Recent Advances and Challenges in Biomolecule-Based Laccase Mimics for Environmental Applications

Natural laccase is an environmentally friendly biocatalyst in the degradation of a broad range of toxic pollutants because its catalysis reaction does not require or produce toxic reactants and byproducts. However, its inherent limitations, such as operational sensitivity, poor stability, and difficulty in recovery/reusability, have significantly restricted its practical environmental applications. Consequently, in recent years, researchers have focused on the development of sustainable catalysts to mimic natural laccase. This review focuses on biomolecule-based laccase mimics, which are derived from nucleotides, nucleic acids, amino acids, peptides, and proteins, summarizing their environmental applications. These biomolecule-based laccase mimics not only overcome the limitations of natural laccase by offering advantages such as high stability, ease of recycling, and long-term storage but also exhibit excellent biodegradability, making them green and sustainable catalytic materials. This study aims to present recent progress in biomolecule-based laccase mimics, as well as their challenges, and to offer future directions in laccase-like catalysts for environmental applications.