Optimal hydrolysis of mustard oil to erucic acid: A biocatalytic approach

In this study, response surface methodology was applied to maximize production of erucic acid from lipase catalyzed mustard oil hydrolysis. Regioselective porcine pancreas lipase was used as catalyst. A quadratic model was developed by applying 24 full factorial central composite design. The optimal conditions obtained on numerical optimization of this model were; temperature 24.2 °C, pH 8.70, enzyme concentration 2.71 mg/g oil and buffer concentration 1.25 g/g oil. Maximum response, i.e., ‘percentage of total erucic acid formed’ was 95.5% in 6 h, much better than the conversion obtained by earlier single variable optimization method. The two most significant variables were pH and buffer concentration. Interaction between temperature and buffer concentration also had significant effect.

► This study applies statistical optimization in lipase catalyzed mustard oil hydrolysis for the first time. ► Optimum conditions (24.2 °C, pH 8.7, 2.71 mg enzyme/g oil and 1.25 g buffer/g oil) led to 95.5% erucic acid in 6 h. ► Among variables, pH was most significant; buffer concentration and temperature were also significant. ► Only significant interactive effect was that between temperature and buffer concentration.