Four commercial lipase preparations immobilized by covalent attachment on epoxy-polysiloxane-β-cyclodextrin were tested as potential biocatalysts to mediate the esterification reaction of isopentanol with caprylic acid in solvent-free medium. Among them, the immobilized lipase from Rhizopus oryzae was the most active biocatalyst, attained ester conversion higher than 80% in 24 h, being selected for subsequent tests using fusel oil as source of isopentanol. An experimental design was performed and the analysis of the results revealed that the formation of the isopentyl caprylate was strongly influenced by the variable molar ratio at 95% of confidence level. The proposed mathematical model allowed predicting that the excess of caprylic acid (molar ratio fusel oil to acid of 1:1.5) and reaction temperature of 45 ºC favor the reaction to attain high ester conversion. Sensory evaluation of the flavors profile in relation to all the components involved in the reaction (caprylic acid, fusel oil and esters) showed that the formed esters had distinct aromas from the starting materials, confirming that the changes in flavors occurred before and after esterification reactions.

Ten species of Penicillium genus isolated from different habitats were evaluated as mycelium bound lipase producers to be used in the hydrolysis of vegetable oils. Using olive oil as an inducer three species (P. italicum AT4421, P. janthinellum CCT3162 and P. purpurogenum AT2008) were able to produce lipases having high mycelium bound activities (>150 U g-1) and were further characterized in relation to their biochemical and kinetic properties and specificity using vegetable oils having majority fatty acids composition in C12:0 (coconut); C16:0 (palm); C18:1 (canola) and C18:1 (soybean). All the three lipases could enrich the medium with fatty acids according to their respective selectivity and the reaction hydrolysis was found to enhance at least three folds under ultrasonic irradiations. For P. purpurogenum lipase the highest hydrolysis degree (66.8 ± 0.2%) was attained with coconut oil. Both P. italicum and P. janthinellum lipases showed high selectivity for canola oil, resulting in hydrolysis degrees of 79.9 ± 0.5% and 63.5 ± 0.6%, respectively. Analysis of the hydrolysates confirmed that the majority of the fatty acids released by P. italicum and P. janthinellum lipases was composed by oleic acid, and P. purpurogenum lipase the hydrolysate contained approximately 50% of lauric acid.

Over the past decades, mycelium-bound lipase of filamentous fungus has been extensively studied as an alternative biocatalyst in biotransformation processes. Mycelium-bound lipase can be used directly as suspended free cells or immobilized within biomass support particles as whole cells biocatalyst. In the latter, cells can be immobilized in situ or extra situ using different support materials avoiding the purification step. This represents an attractive, cost-effective technology to enhance chemical reaction efficiency. The present review covers the great versatility of mycelium-bound lipase to mediate biotransformation processes, given particular emphasis in its use as biocatalyst for biodiesel production.

Lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus was covalently immobilized on activated poly-hydroxybutyrate, sugarcane bagasse and the chemically modified hybrid hydrogel chitosan-alginate prepared by different strategies. Among the tested supports, chitosan-alginate chemically modified with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid rendered derivatives with the highest hydrolytic activity and thermal-stability, 45-fold more stable than soluble lipase and was then selected for further studies. The pH of maximum activity was similar for both immobilized and free lipase (pH 8.0) while optimum temperature was 5 - 10 ºC higher for the immobilized lipase. Higher yields in the butyl butyrate synthesis were found for the derivatives prepared by activation with glycidol and epichlorohydrin.

O polímero híbrido derivado de siloxano e quitosana foi obtido pela técnica sol-gel, tendo como precursor o tetraetilortosilicato (TEOS). O suporte híbrido obtido foi modificado quimicamente com epicloridrina e utilizado para imobilizar lipase de Burkholderia cepacia. O híbrido SiO2-quitosana deu origem a uma nova estrutura macromolecular na qual as partículas inorgânicas encontram-se dispersas em escala nanométrica na matriz orgânica e ligadas à matriz por meio de ligações covalentes. Foi realizado um estudo comparativo entre a lipase livre e a imobilizada quanto à influencia do pH e temperatura, parâmetros cinéticos e estabilidade térmica. O pH ótimo para a atividade máxima de hidrólise da lipase imobilizada foi de 6,1, enquanto que para a lipase livre foi de 7,0. A temperatura ótima permaneceu em 50 ºC mesmo depois da imobilização. Os perfis de estabilidade térmica indicaram que o processo de imobilização foi favorável à estabilização da enzima e o derivado epóxi SiO2-quitosana foi cerca de 30 vezes mais estável que a lipase livre a 60 ºC.

A hybrid polymer derived from siloxane and chitosan was obtained by sol-gel technique using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as a precursor. The hybrid support was chemically modified with epichlorohydrin and used to immobilize lipase from Burkholderia cepacia. The hybrid SiO2-chitosan formed new macromolecular structure in which the inorganic particles are dispersed at the nanometer scale in the organic host matrix and bounding through covalent bonds. A comparative study between free and immobilized lipase was provided in terms of pH, temperature, kinetic parameters and thermal stability. The pH for maximum hydrolysis activity shifted from 7.0 for the soluble lipase to 6.1 and the optimum temperature remained at 50 ºC after immobilization. The patterns of heat stability indicated that the immobilization process provided the stabilization of the enzyme and the epoxy SiO2-chitosan derivative was almost 30-fold more stable than soluble lipase at 60 ºC.

Lipase from Candida rugosa was immobilized by covalent attachment on hybrid SiO2-chitosan obtained by sol-gel technique. A comparative study between free and immobilized lipase was provided in terms of pH, temperature, kinetic parameters and thermal stability on the olive oil hydrolysis. The pH and temperature for maximum activity shifted from 7.0 and 45 ºC for the free lipase to 7.5 and wide range of temperature (40-50 ºC) after immobilization. Kinetics parameters were found to obey Michaelis-Menten equation and K M values indicated that immobilization process reduced the affinity of enzyme-substrate; however Kd values revealed an increase of thermal stability of lipase.

Chitosan, poly[β-(1-4)-linked-2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose], is the N-deacetylated product of chitin which is a major component of arthropod and crustacean shells such as lobsters, crabs, shrimps, and cuttlefishes. In addition, chitosan has many significant biological and chemical properties such as biodegradability, biocompatibility and bioactivity as well as polycationic properties. Thus, it has been widely used in many industrial and biomedical applications including wastewater treatment, chromatographic support, carriers for controlled drug delivery and enzyme immobilization. This review is an insight into the exploitation of utilization of chitosan based-supports in different geometrical configurations on the immobilization of enzymes by different protocols for further application in biotransformation reactions.

Esterification reactions of glycerol with lauric acid in solvent free system were carried out using lipases from several sources. All lipases were immobilized on polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol particles by covalent binding with high activity recovered. Among the tested enzymes, the Candida antarctica lipase allowed to attain the highest molar conversion (76%), giving similar proportions of monolaurin, dilaurin and low amount of trilaurin. To further improve the process, the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used and optima temperature and molar ratio glycerol to lauric acid were found to be 45 ºC and 5:1, respectively. Under these conditions, 31.35% of monolaurin concentrations were attained and this result was in close agreement with the statistical model prediction.

Several alkyl esters were synthesized, purified, characterized by ¹H NMR and employed as standards for establishing chromatographic methods to monitor their formation in the synthesis of biodiesel. The efficiency of the chromatographic methods was confirmed with the products of enzymatic transesterification of babassu oil with different alcohols (C2 to C4), using Lipozyme as catalyst.

The efficiency for immobilizing microbial Candida rugosa lipase on a hybrid matrix of polysiloxane polyvinyl alcohol, by adsorption, covalent coupling and encapsulation was compared. The activities of immobilized derivatives were evaluated using p-nitrophenylpalmitate (hydrolysis) and butyric acid and butanol (esterification) as substrates. Operational stability and storage tests were also performed. Among the procedures tested, the proposed matrix was efficient for immobilizing C. rugosa lipase by adsorption and covalent coupling techniques and unsuitable for encapsulation purposes. The results reveal that better catalytic properties in both aqueous and organic media were demonstrated by the covalent coupling POS-PVA immobilized lipase, including also satisfactory half-life and good storage stability.

Monoglycerides (MAG) are non-ionic surfactants, widely used in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries. Although MAGs are manufactured on an industrial scale by chemical glycerolysis of oils and fats, new developments in lipase catalyzed synthesis have been studied as an alternative to the classical method seeking to use clean technology and green chemistry. In this work, different methods such as glycerolysis, selective hydrolysis of fats and oils, and esterification of fatty acids or transesterification of esters with glycerol are presented. The properties and applications of the monoglycerides are also included in this review.

Este trabalho avaliou a influência de fatores que afetam a síntese de ésteres glicéricos, tais como: razão molar entre os reagentes, fonte de lipase e tipo de agente de ativação do suporte obtido pela técnica sol-gel. Foram empregadas preparações comerciais de lipases imobilizadas em partículas de polissiloxano-álcool polivinílico (POS-PVA) previamente ativadas com diferentes agentes (glutaraldeído, metaperiodato de sódio e carbonildiimidazol). Esses resultados foram comparados com aqueles obtidos por preparações de lipase imobilizada disponíveis comercialmente (Lipozyme IM20, Novozym 435, Lipozyme RM IM e Lipozyme TL IM). O meio reacional contendo excesso de glicerol favoreceu a síntese de ésteres glicéricos e a Lipozyme IM20 foi a preparação de lipase imobilizada mais adequada para a síntese, atingindo conversões molares maiores que 94%. O uso da lipase CALB L imobilizada em POS-PVA também alcançou resultados satisfatórios (cerca de 80% de conversão) possibilitando a formação de 36% de 2,3diidroxipropil dodecanoato (monolaurina).

This work assessed the influence of important factors that affect the synthesis of glyceride esters in solvent-free systems, such as: glycerol/fatty acid molar ratio, lipase source and activating agent of the support obtained by the sol-gel technique. Commercial lipase preparations were immobilized on polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol particles (POS-PVA) previously activated with different agents (glutaraldehyde, sodium metaperiodate and carbonyldiimidazole) and their performance on the esterification reaction was compared with commercial preparations of immobilized lipase (Lipozyme IM20, Novozym 435, Lipozyme RM IM and Lipozyme TL IM). The reaction medium containing excess glycerol favored the glyceride ester synthesis and the Lipozyme IM20 was found to be the most suitable immobilized lipase preparation, attaining molar conversions higher than 94%. The use of CAL B Lipase immobilized on POS-PVA also provided satisfactory performance (conversion of about 80%) and allowed the formation of 36% wt of 2,3-dihydroxypropyl dodecanoate (monolaurin).

Microbial lipase from Candida rugosa was immobilized by covalent binding on wood cellulignin (Eucaliptus grandis) chemically modified with carbonyldiimidazole. The immobilized system was fully evaluated in aqueous (olive oil hydrolysis) and organic (ester synthesis) media. A comparative study between free and immobilized lipase was carried out in terms of pH, temperature and thermal stability. A higher pH value (8.0) was found optimal for the immobilized lipase. The optimal reaction temperature shifted from 37 °C for the free lipase to 45 °C for the immobilized lipase. The pattern of heat stability indicated that the immobilization process tends to stabilize the enzyme. Kinetics tests at 37 °C following the hydrolysis of olive oil obeyed the Michaelis-Menten rate equation. Values for Km = 924.9 mM and Vmax = 198.3 U/mg were lower than for free lipase, suggesting that the affinity towards the substrate changed and the activity of the immobilized lipase decreased during the course of immobilization. The immobilized derivative was also tested in the ester synthesis from several alcohols and carboxylic acids.

The aim of this work was to gain knowledge of enzymatic processes for the synthesis fatty acid esters of sugar, with the objective to develop an enzymatic process for the preparation of non-toxic biodegradable surface-active agents derived entirely from renewable resources. A wide range of data were collected for reaction conditions involving different sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose), fatty acids (oleic, palmitic, lauric), solvents (hexane, heptane and t-butanol) and different sources of lipases in both free and immobilized forms. As a solvent t-butanol provided the best conditions to create a catalytic liquid phase in which the reaction occurs. Sugars were preferentially esterified in the following order: fructose > glucose > sucrose, depending on the enzyme preparation. For fructose no influence was found concerning de acyl donor and similar rates were achieved for all tested fatty acids. Ester synthesis was maximized for substrates containing fructose, lauric or oleic acids, t-butanol and lipase from porcine pancreas immobilized on polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol particles. Under such conditions molar conversions were higher than 50%.

The oleochemical industry has a permanent interested in controlling the physical, functional and organoleptical properties of their products and in producing useful derivatives from their raw materials. The potential of biotechnology for developing novel or well-known products at more competitive costs meets the need of this industrial segment in expanding their goals. In this work some technical aspects, problems and perspectives related to the production of oil and fat derivatives using biotransformation techniques are discussed. Particular emphasis is given to the description of biotransformation processes using lipase as catalyst, in view of the great versatility of this enzyme class to mediate typical reactions in this technological sector.