Response surface method to optimize the production and characterization of lipase from Penicillium verrucosum in solid-state fermentation.

Current studies about lipase production by solid-state fermentation involve the use of agro-industrial residues towards developing cost-effective systems directed to large-scale commercialization of enzyme-catalyzed processes. In this work, lipase production and partial characterization of the crude enzymatic extracts obtained by Penicillium verrucosum using soybean bran as substrate was investigated. Different inductors were evaluated and the results showed that there is no influence of this variable on the lipase production, while temperature and initial moisture were the main factors that affected enzyme production. The optimized cultivation temperature (27.5 degrees C) and initial moisture of substrate (55%) were determined using the response surface methodology. Kinetics of lipase production was followed at the optimized growth conditions. Optimum lipase yield was 40 U/g of dry bran. The crude enzymatic extract showed optimal activity in the range from 30 to 45 degrees C and in pH 7.0.

Kinetics of enzyme-catalyzed alcoholysis of soybean oil in n-hexane.

This work investigated the production of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) from soybean oil using n-hexane as solvent and two commercial lipases as catalysts, Novozym 435 and Lipozyme IM. A Taguchi experimental design was adopted considering the variables temperature (35-65 degrees C), addition of water (0-10 wt/wt%), enzyme (5-20 wt/wt%) concentration, and oil-to-ethanol molar ratio (1:3-1:10). It is shown that complete conversion in FAEE is achieved for some experimental conditions. The effects of process variables on reaction conversion and kinetics of the enzymatic reactions are presented for all experimental conditions investigated in the factorial design.

Optimization of alkaline transesterification of soybean oil and castor oil for biodiesel production.

This article reports experimental data on the production of fatty acid ethyl esters from refined and degummed soybean oil and castor oil using NaOH as catalyst. The variables investigated were temperature (30-70 degrees C), reaction time (1-3 h), catalyst concentration (0.5-1.5 w/wt%), and oil-to-ethanol molar ratio (1:3-1:9). The effects of process variables on the reaction conversion as well as the optimum experimental conditions are presented. The results show that conversions >95% were achieved for all systems investigated. In general, an increase in reaction temperature, reaction time, and in oil-to-ethanol molar ratio led to an enhancement in reaction conversion, whereas an opposite trend was verified with respect to catalyst concentration.

Optimization of enzymatic production of biodiesel from castor oil in organic solvent medium.

We studied the production of fatty acid ethyl esters from castor oil using n-hexane as solvent and two commercial lipases, Novozym 435 and Lipozyme IM, as catalysts. For this purpose, a Taguchi experimental design was adopted considering the following variables: temperature (35-65 degrees C), water (0-10 wt/wt%), and enzyme (5-20 wt/wt%) concentrations and oil-to-ethanol molar ratio (1:3 to 1:10). An empirical model was then built so as to assess the main and cross-variable effects on the reaction conversion and also to maximize biodiesel production for each enzyme. For the system containing Novozym 435 as catalyst the maximum conversion obtained was 81.4% at 65 degrees C, enzyme concentration of 20 wt/wt%, water concentration of 0 wt/wt%, and oil-to-ethanol molar ratio of 1:10. When the catalyst was Lipozyme IM, a conversion as high as 98% was obtained at 65 degrees C, enzyme concentration of 20 wt/wt%, water concentration of 0 wt/wt%, and oil-to-ethanol molar ratio of 1:3.