Potential application of Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL) immobilized on nonporous polystyrene particles

The crescent demand for biocatalyst application, associated with the production costs and the need to reduce the dependence for the fossil fuels combined with waste recovery, which could be used as an alternative to resources, increased the interests for the enzyme immobilization. In this work, low-cost nonporous polystyrene (PS) particles were studied as a support to Thermomyces Lanuginosus lipase (NS-40116) immobilization. The results showed that immobilized lipase on PS matrix showed better thermal and pH stability when compared to soluble NS-40116 lipase, with an increase of 84% in the hydrolytic activity at pH 12. Kinetic constants showed that immobilization process increased enzyme specificity by the substrate. In addition, immobilized lipase on PS matrix was effectively applied in the production of free fatty acids from commercial soybean oil demonstrating operational stability after five reuse cycles as well as potential application in the transesterification and esterification reactions by using abdominal chicken fat as substrate. (c) 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 38: 608-613, 2019