Ultrasound application in microalgal oil hydrolysis catalyzed by Candida rugosa lipase

• Grant number: 18/02649-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2018
• End date: June 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Patricia Caroline Molgero Da Rós
• Grantee: Thales Arruda Pereira
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The application of unconventional heating methods to carry enzymatic reactions has been proved primordial in substitute traditional processes. The enzymatic hydrolysis of oils and fats is a technological process that allows the production of fatty acids with high added value (PUFAs) and low energy use. Lipases are enzymes of vegetal, animal or microbial origin, which catalyze total or partial hydrolysis of oils and fats. This way, this project has the aim to verify the catalytic action of lipase Candida rugosa in the hydrolysis reaction of microalgal oils employing unconventional heating methods (ultrasound), as well as optimize reactions parameters through a study that allows verify the influence of the meaning variables that might chances the reaction efficiency such as: ultrasound potency and temperature. A 22 full factorial design will be carried for this purpose, simultaneously evaluating the power of the ultrasound (40, 70 e 100) and temperature (35, 40 e 45 °C) in enzymatic hydrolysis percent of microalgal oils. The main aspects that will be studied in this work include microalgae cultivation in bubble column photobioreactors, biomass harvesting and recovery, extraction of microbial oil and finally, the extracted oil will be used as substrate in the enzymatic hydrolysis reactions employing ultrasound as heating source. (AU)