Ordered mesoporous materials containing Mucor Miehei Lipase as biocatalyst for transesterification reaction

• Physisorption of Mucor Miehei Lipase onto ordered mesoporous silica.
• High wall thickness is required to protect the support upon enzyme adsorption.
• Mucor Miehei Lipase adsorption follows Langmuir isotherm.
• Biocatalyst used for the methanolysis of colza in the absence of nonpolar solvents.
• Good transesterification yields obtained by the addition of small amounts of water.

Herein, we report the design of a biocatalyst by the immobilization of Mucor Miehei Lipase (Mm-L) onto mesoporous silica materials. Supports with different pore diameters have been considered. Infrared spectroscopy was used to determine the adsorption isotherms in different pH conditions.Then, the biocatalyst was tested for the methanolysis of colza oil. The production of methyl esters was monitored over time by gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer. The results show that to reach maximum performance of the biocatalyst, a certain amount of water is required (5 wt.%). By using ratio lower than the stoichiometry (1:1), the methanol conversion is completed and high transesterification yields could be obtained even in the absence of non polar solvents (i.e. hexane). Herein, the lipase uses the fatty substrate as lipophilic interface required for the opening of the active site of the enzyme.