title: Continuous lipase-catalyzed production of esters from crude high-oleic sunflower oil.
abstract: The objective of this work was to develop an economically relevant enzymatic process of butyl ester production using crude high-oleic sunflower oil. Novozym 435, a non-regiospecific biocatalyst, provided the best compromise between activity and butyl-ester yield. The inhibition caused by the presence of phopholipids in crude oil was eliminated by using tert-butanol. It demonstrates the key role of the medium polarity in order to insure the stability of a process. Initial substrate concentrations and their molar ratio were optimized in a continuous packed-bed reactor to maximize product yield and productivity. The best compromise was obtained for an initial oil concentration of 500 mM and a molar ratio of 5. It enabled a high productivity of 13.8 tons year(-1)kg Novozym 435(-1) with a butyl-ester purity of 96.5% to be obtained. Experiments with the continuous reactor were performed over 50 days without any loss of enzyme activity.
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, INSA, UPS, INP, LISBP, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, F-31077 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Séverac
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Galy
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Turon
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Monsan
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marty
mesh_terms: D055162:Biocatalysis; D004952:Esters / Q000378:metabolism*; D008049:Lipase / Q000378:metabolism*; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000378:metabolism*; D000074242:Sunflower Oil
chemical_list: D004952:Esters; D010938:Plant Oils; D000074242:Sunflower Oil; D019301:Oleic Acid; D008049:Lipase