Enzymatic transesterification of soybean oil with ethanol using lipases immobilized on highly crystalline PVA microspheres

Author(s)

Bergamasco, Juliana ^[1] ; de Araujo, Marcelo V. ^[1] ; de Vasconcellos, Adriano ^[1] ; Luizon Filho, Roberto A. ^[1] ; Hatanaka, Rafael R. ^[2] ; Giotto, Marcus V. ^[3] ; Aranda, Donato A. G. ^[4] ; Nery, Jose G. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Inst Biociencias, Dept Fis, BR-15054000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Quim Araraquara, Dept Quim Organ, BR-14800900 Araraquara, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Connecticut, Inst Mat Sci, Storrs, CT 06269 - USA

^[4] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Escola Quil, Lab Greentec, BR-21941972 Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BIOMASS & BIOENERGY; v. 59, p. 218-233, DEC 2013.
• Web of Science Citations: 11

Abstract

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) microspheres with different degree of crystallinity were used as solid supports for Rhizomucor miehei lipase immobilization, and the enzyme-PVA complexes were used as biocatalysts for the transesterification of soybean oil to fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE). The amounts of immobilized enzyme on the polymeric supports were similar for both the amorphous microspheres (PVA4) and the high crystalline microspheres (PVA25). However, the enzymatic activity of the immobilized enzymes was depended on the crystallinity degree of the PVA microspheres: enzymes immobilized on the PVA4 microspheres have shown low enzymatic activity (6.13 U mg(-1)), in comparison with enzymes immobilized on the high crystalline PVA25 microspheres (149.15 U mg(-1)). A synergistic effect was observed for the enzyme-PVA25 complex during the transesterification reaction of soybean oil to FAEE: transesterification reactions with free enzyme with the equivalent amount of enzyme that were immobilized onto the PVA25 microspheres (5.4 U) have yielded only 20% of FAEE, reactions with the pure highly crystalline microsphere PVA25 have not yielded FAEE, however reactions with the enzyme-PVA25 complexes have yielded 66.3% of FAEE. This synergistic effect of an immobilized enzyme on a polymeric support has not been observed before for transesterification reaction of triacylglycerides into FAEE. Based on ATR-FTIR, Na-23- and C-13-NMR-MAS spectroscopic data and the interaction of the polymeric network intermolecular hydrogen bonds with the lipases residual amino acids a possible explanation for this synergistic effect is provided. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/10092-4 - Nanozeolites as solid supports for enzyme immobilization: Synthesis, characterization of complex nanozeolite/enzymes and their application as heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel production via ethylic route
• Grantee: Adriano de Vasconcellos
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 05/54703-6 - Synthesis of enantioselective solid catalysts: the intellectual, technological and synthetic challenge of chiral zeolites
• Grantee: Jose Geraldo Nery
• Support type: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/51851-5 - Syntheses and characterization of nanozeolites-enzymes complexes and their use as heterogeneous catalysts in the production of biodiesel by trans esterification of Palm Oil and algae oils (Dunaliella Salina and Haematococcus pluvialis) with ethanol
• Grantee: Jose Geraldo Nery
• Support type: Regular Research Grants