Lipase immobilized microstructured fiber based flow-through microreactor for facile lipid transformations

A facile continuous flow-through Candida antarctica lipase B immobilized silica microstructured optical fiber (SMOF) microreactor for application in lipid transformations has been demonstrated herewith. The lipase was immobilized on the amino activated silica fiber using glutaraldehyde as a bifunctional reagent. The immobilized lipase activity in the SMOF was tested calorimetrically by determination of p-nitrophenyl butyrate hydrolysis products. The specific activity of the immobilized lipase was calculated to be 0.91 U/mg. The SMOF microreactor performance was evaluated by using it as a platform for synthesis of butyl laurate from lauric acid and n-butanol in n-hexane and n-heptane at 50 degrees C, with products identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Different substrate mole ratios were evaluated, with 1:3, lauric acid:n-butanol showing best performance. Remarkably, percentage yields of up to 99% were realized with less than similar to 38s microreactor residence time. In addition, the SMOF microreactor could be reused many times (at least 7 runs) with minimal reduction in the activity of the enzyme. The enzyme stability did not change even with storage of the microreactor in ambient conditions over one month. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.