Production and immobilization of lipases produced by the endophytic fungus Cercospora kikuchii for biotechnological applications

Author(s)

Tales Alexandre da Costa e Silva

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Ribeirão Preto.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC)
• Defense date: 2014-04-16

Examining board members

Wanderley Pereira de Oliveira; Heizir Ferreira de Castro; Fábio Bentes Freire; Niege Araçari Jacometti Cardoso Furtado; Rosemeire Cristina Linhari Rodrigues Pietro

• Advisor: Wanderley Pereira de Oliveira; Suraia Said

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate strategies for immobilization of lipases produced by the endophytic fungus Cercospora kikuchii through the use of unconventional supports (agroindustrial by-products and chitosan). The use of different drying process (oven, spouted bed, fluidized bed, freeze drying and spray drying) for dehydration of immobilized derivatives obtained by adsorption, covalent binding and encapsulation was investigated. The covalent immobilization (using glutaraldehyde, epichlorohydrin and sodium metaperiodate as crosslinking agents) was the best process for the enzymatic activity retention. For covalent immobilization using glutaraldehyde and spouted bed drying, the best values were obtained for microcrystalline cellulose with enzymatic activity retention of 179.1%, followed by rice husk and corn straw with 173.9% and 169.8%, respectively. Corn stover was the best support in the covalent immobilization and oven drying, with retention 100.0% of the initial enzyme activity. For freeze-drying rice husk was the best support (163.6%) followed by corn stover (157.2%), sugar cane bagasse (154.6%) and corn cob (129.5%). Utilizing chitosan as support and fluidized bed drying, the value for the retention of enzymatic activity was 93.9% employing glutaraldehyde as activating agent. For chitosan-lipase drying using oven, the enzymatic activity retention was 68.2% and using freeze-drying the retention of enzymatic activity was higher than 80.0%. The support characterization was carried out and showed high surface area, high porosity and macropore structure. These characteristics were important for providing immobilized derivatives with high catalytic activity retention. Some biochemical and kinetic parameters of lipase in free form were different from the immobilized lipase. The most important changes was the substrate affinity (Km) which was dependent of immobilization protocol used. The last experimental part of this study was the biotechnological applications of the best immobilized derivatives produced. For the immobilized lipase onto rice husk the transesterification yield (biodiesel production) was above 96.0% after 72 hours of reaction while for the use of chitosan microspheres this value was reached after 120 hours. The viscosity values for the biodiesel samples are in accordance with specifications recommended by Brazilian Petroleum Agency (ANP) to be used as biofuel. The immobilized derivatives catalytic power was measured in terms of esterification activity too. The maximum concentration for butyl butyrate was obtained after 6 hours, corresponding to conversion rate of 99.0% when chitosan was used as support. Using rice husk, the maximum butyl butyrate concentration was obtained after 6 hours of reaction, corresponding to conversion rate of 92.5%. This work demonstrated that cheap supports are biocompatible with lipases, rendering immobilized derivatives with characteristics similar to or better than those previously obtained with synthetic polymers. The immobilized derivatives showed excelente potential for biodiesel production and butyl butyrate synthesis. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/00743-8 - Production and immobilization of lipases produced by the endophytic fungus Cercospora kikuchii for biotechnological applications
• Grantee: Tales Alexandre da Costa e Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate