Solvent-Free Enzymatic Synthesis of Dietary Triacylglycerols from Cottonseed Oil in a Fluidized Bed Reactor.

The synthesis of structured lipids with nutraceutical applications, such as medium-long-medium (MLM) triacylglycerols, via modification of oils and fats represents a challenge for the food industry. This study aimed to synthesize MLM-type dietary triacylglycerols by enzymatic acidolysis of cottonseed oil and capric acid (C10) catalyzed by Lipozyme RM IM (lipase from Rhizomucor miehei) in a fluidized bed reactor (FBR). After chemical characterization of the feedstock and hydrodynamic characterization of the reactor, a 22 central composite rotatable design was used to optimize capric acid incorporation. The independent variables were cycle number (20-70) and cottonseed oil/capric acid molar ratio (1:2-1:4). The temperature was set at 45 °C. The best conditions, namely a 1:4 oil/acid molar ratio and 80 cycles (17.34 h), provided a degree of incorporation of about 40 mol%, as shown by compositional analysis of the modified oil. Lipozyme RM IM showed good operational stability (kd = 2.72 × 10-4 h-1, t1/2 = 2545.78 h), confirming the good reuse capacity of the enzyme in the acidolysis of cottonseed oil with capric acid. It is concluded that an FBR configuration is a promising alternative for the enzymatic synthesis of MLM triacylglycerols.

Effect of Structured Phenolic Lipids with EPA/DHA and Gallic Acid against Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) in Mice.

Obesity is the leading risk factor for developing metabolic (dysfunction)-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). The food industry has an essential role in searching for new strategies to improve primary food sources to revert some of the metabolic alterations induced by obesity. There is consistent evidence that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) belonging to the n-3 series, i.e., eicosapentaenoic (20:5n-3, EPA) and docosahexaenoic (22:6n-3, DHA) acids, could revert some alterations associated with obesity-induced metabolic diseases. A relevant tool is the synthesis of structured acylglycerols (sAG), which include EPA or DHA at the sn-2 position. On the other hand, it has been reported that a crucial role of antioxidants is the reversion of MAFLD. In this work, we studied the effects of new molecules incorporating gallic acid (GA) into EPA/DHA-rich structured lipids. Mice were fed with a high-fat diet (60%) for three months and were then divided into five groups for supplementation with sAG and sAG structured with gallic acid (structured phenolic acylglycerols, sPAG). sPAG synthesis was optimized using a 2²-screening factorial design based on the response surface methodology (RSM). Our results show that treatment of sPAG was effective in decreasing visceral fat, fasting glycemia, fasting insulin, suggesting that this new molecule has a potential use in the reversal of MAFLD-associated alterations.

Enzymatic synthesis of structured lipids from grape seed (Vitis vinifera L.) oil in associated packed bed reactors.

Triacylglycerols (TAGs) can be modified to increase the absorption of fatty acids, prevent obesity, and treat fat malabsorption disorders and metabolic diseases. Medium-long-medium (MLM)-type TAGs, which contain medium-chain fatty acids in the sn-1 and sn-3 positions of the glycerol backbone and a long-chain fatty acid in the sn-2 position, show particularly interesting nutritional characteristics. This study aimed to synthesize MLM-type TAGs by enzymatic acidolysis of grape seed oil with medium-chain capric acid (C10:0) in associated packed bed reactors. The reaction was carried out during 120 H, at 45 °C, using lipase from Rhizomucor miehei (Lipozyme® RM IM). The residence time distribution of reagents in the reactor was quantified to evaluate the reactor behavior and to diagnose the existence of preferential paths. The reaction progress was monitored by analyzing TAG composition and, at the steady state (after 48 H of reaction), the incorporation degree achieved a value of 39.91 ± 2.77%. To enhance the capric acid incorporation, an acidolysis reaction in associated packed bed reactors was performed. The results showed a good operational stability of the biocatalyst, revealing values of half-life 209.64 H, 235.63 H of packed bed and associated packed bed reactor, respectively, and a deactivation coefficient 0.0061 H-1 .

Bioleaching of copper and nickel from mobile phone printed circuit board using Aspergillus fumigatus A2DS.

The recovery of metals from electronic waste was investigated by using fungal strain Aspergillus fumigatus A2DS, isolated from the mining industry wastewater. Fifty-seven percent of copper and 32% of nickel were leached (analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES)) by the organism after one-step leaching at a temperature of 30 °C (shaking condition for 7 days). Maximum % of copper and nickel were obtained at a pH of 6 (58.7% Cu and 32% Ni), the temperature of 40 °C (61.8% Cu and 27.07% Ni), a pulp density of 0.5% (62% Cu and 42.37% Ni), and inoculums of 1% (58% Cu and 32.29% Ni). The XRD pattern of PCB showed 77.6% of copper containing compounds. XRD analysis of the leachate residue showed only 23.2% Euchorite (ASCu2H7O8) and 9.4% other copper containing compounds, indicating the leaching property of the fungus. HPLC analysis of the spent medium showed the presence of different acids like citric, succinic, and fumaric acid. The FTIR spectrum showed a decrease in carboxylic stretching in the leachate produced after bioleaching using spent medium. ICPOES of the leachate obtained using spent medium showed that 61% of the copper and 35% of nickel were leached out after seven days of incubation at shaking condition and 57% of copper and 32.8% of nickel at static condition confirming acidolysis property of the strain. A. fumigatus A2DS metal absorption and adsorption ability were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) respectively. The results thus indicate that bioleaching of Cu and Ni is bioleached by A. fumigatus A2DS.

Incorporation of Caprylic Acid into a Single Cell Oil Rich in Docosahexaenoic Acid for the Production of Specialty Lipids.

RESEARCH BACKGROUND: New sources of docosahexaenoic acid have recently been investigated aiming at infant formula fortification and dietary supplementation, among which the single cell oil with 40-50% of this acid. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: For this purpose, such an oil was blended with caprylic acid in amount substance ratio ranging from 1:1 to 5:1 and the blends were interesterified using either Novozym 435 or Lipozyme TL IM as the catalyst. The influence of the amount of excess free caprylic acid in the substrate, as well as the type of enzyme on the triacylglycerol rearrangement resulting from the synthesis of the structured lipids were evaluated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The regiospecific lipase Lipozyme TL IM seemed to induce transesterification among single cell oil triacylglycerols preferably by acidolysis with caprylic acid, which was directly proportional to the ratio of this acid in the substrate. In reactions catalyzed by the non-regiospecific lipase Novozym 435, a higher incorporation of caprylic acid into single cell oil triacylglycerols was observed than when using Lipozyme TL IM, independently of the oil/caprylic acid molar ratio. NOVELTY AND SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION: These results revealed the importance of combining the choice of the type of lipase, either regiospecific or not, with the amount ratios of free fatty acids and the substrate in acidolysis when aiming to produce structured lipids as a source of docosahexaenoic acid.