Invertase was covalently immobilized on polyurethane (PU), inox plate covered with plast-film layer and ferromagnetic azide-Dacron. The immobilization processes, physico-chemical parameters and a model for coupling reactions were studied. The preliminary studies for selection of the support showed that the best activity was obtained for PU treated with HCl, polyethylenimine and glutaraldehyde (156.7 +/- 4.9 U/g support). All plast-film-invertase derivatives did not show activity and the Dacron-invertase derivative showed an activity of 105.39 U/g support. The invertase immobilized in presence of substrate (10% w/v sucrose) was the most efficient (832.74 +/- 1.48 U/g support). The optimal pH was shifted from 4.5 (free enzyme) to 5.0 (immobilized derivative) and optimal temperature was not affected. Activation energy values of free enzyme, Dacron-invertase and PU-invertase were 32.4 +/- 0.34 kJ/mol, 33.4 +/- 0.36 kJ/mol and 44.0 +/- 0.67 kJ/mol, respectively. The PU-invertase could be used over 2 months without considerable activity loss (68.5% activity retention) and retained 12.6% (287.97 +/- 27 9 U/g sup. port) of the activity after five cycles. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.