Covalently immobilized lipase catalyzing high-yielding optimized geranyl butyrate synthesis in a batch and fluidized bed reactor

Three commercially available polymers (Sepabeads® EC-EP, Sepabeads® EC-HA and Purolite® A-109) were tested for potential application as supports for covalent immobilization of lipase from Candida rugosa by analyzing some critical properties of immobilized enzymes such as enzyme loading, activity and activity immobilization yield. Among them, lipase covalently immobilized on Sepabeads® EC-EP via epoxy groups appeared to show the best performance in a standard hydrolytic reaction. Therefore, it was selected and assayed in the esterification of butyric acid and geraniol to produce geranyl butyrate, first in a batch system followed by continuous geranyl butyrate synthesis in a fluidized bed reactor, as one being potentially applicable for large-scale production.Based on statistical analysis, optimal conditions for the production of geranyl butyrate by selected, immobilized lipase in the batch system are recommended as: temperature at 25–30 °C, water concentration at 3.6% (v/v) and acid/alcohol molar ratio at 2.5. A set of optimal conditions for the ester synthesis in a fluidized bed reactor system has also been determined, specifically, flow rate at 10 mL min−1, temperature at 35 °C, water concentration at 2% (v/v), substrate concentration at 0.1 M and acid/alcohol ratio at 2.0. Implementation of the optimized parameters in a batch system and in a fluidized bed reactor enabled production of target ester with high molar conversion, at > 99.9% for 48 h in the batch process, and 78.9% for 10 h in fluidized bed reactor. Although when assayed at their optimal conditions, lower molar conversion was achieved in the fluidized bed reactor system compared to the batch system, the volumetric productivity in fluidized bed reactor was more than five fold higher than that obtained in the batch system.

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► Covalently stablized and highly active Candida rugosa lipase was used for statistical modeling of geranyl butyrate synthesis.
► Optimized reaction conditions enabled high-yielding production of targeted ester.
► Using the same catalyst, geranyl butyrate synthesis was optimized in fluidized bed reactor, as one being potentially used in industry.
► Optimized synthesis in fluidized bed reactor enabled high yielding, stable and kinetically improved ester production.