The Purification and Characterization of Lipases from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lasiodiplodia theobromae</Emphasis>, and Their Immobilization and Use for Biodiesel Production from Coconut Oil

The coconut kernel-associated fungus, Lasiodiplodia theobromae VBE1, was grown on coconut cake with added coconut oil as lipase inducer under solid-state fermentation conditions. The extracellular-produced lipases were purified and resulted in two enzymes: lipase A (68,000 Da)—purified 25.41-fold, recovery of 47.1%—and lipase B (32,000 Da)—purified 18.47-fold, recovery of 8.2%. Both lipases showed optimal activity at pH 8.0 and 35 °C, were activated by Ca²⁺, exhibited highest specificity towards coconut oil and p-nitrophenyl palmitate, and were stable in iso-octane and hexane. Ethanol supported higher lipase activity than methanol, and n-butanol inactivated both lipases. Crude lipase immobilized by entrapment within 4% (w/v) calcium alginate beads was more stable than the crude-free lipase preparation within the range pH 2.5–10.0 and 20–80 °C. The immobilized lipase preparation was used to catalyze the transesterification/methanolysis of coconut oil to biodiesel (fatty acyl methyl esters (FAMEs)) and was quantified by gas chromatography. The principal FAMEs were laurate (46.1%), myristate (22.3%), palmitate (9.9%), and oleate (7.2%), with minor amounts of caprylate, caprate, and stearate also present. The FAME profile was comparatively similar to NaOH-mediated transesterified biodiesel from coconut oil, but distinctly different to petroleum-derived diesel. This study concluded that Lasiodiplodia theobromae VBE1 lipases have potential for biodiesel production from coconut oil.     

Metal-Chelate Immobilization of Lipase onto Polyethylenimine Coated MCM-41 for Apple Flavor Synthesis

An enzyme immobilized on a mesoporous silica nanoparticle can serve as a multiple catalyst for the synthesis of industrially useful chemicals. In this work, MCM-41 nanoparticles were coated with polyethylenimine (MCM-41@PEI) and further modified by chelation of divalent metal ions (M = Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, or Pd²⁺) to produce metal-chelated silica nanoparticles (MCM-41@PEI-M). Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (TLL) was immobilized onto MCM-41, MCM-41@PEI, and MCM-41@PEI-M by physical adsorption. Maximum immobilization yield and efficiency of 75 ± 3.5 and 65 ± 2.7% were obtained for MCM@PEI-Co, respectively. The highest biocatalytic activity at extremely acidic and basic pH (pH = 3 and 10) values were achieved for MCM-PEI-Co and MCM-PEI-Cu, respectively. Optimum enzymatic activity was observed for MCM-41@PEI-Co at 75 °C, while immobilized lipase on the Co-chelated support retained 70% of its initial activity after 14 days of storage at room temperature. Due to its efficient catalytic performance, MCM-41@PEI-Co was selected for the synthesis of ethyl valerate in the presence of valeric acid and ethanol. The enzymatic esterification yield for immobilized lipase onto MCM-41@PEI-Co was 60 and 53%, respectively, after 24 h of incubation in n-hexane and dimethyl sulfoxide media.

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Graphical Abstract Divalent metal chelated polyethylenimine coated MCM-41 (MCM-41@PEI-M) was used for immobilization of Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase catalyzing green apple flavor preparation

     

Production of <Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>-Mandelic Acid Using Nitrilase from Recombinant <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. coli</Emphasis> Cells Immobilized with Tris(Hydroxymethyl)Phosphine

Recombinant Escherichia coli cells harboring nitrilase from Alcaligenes faecalis were immobilized using tris(hydroxymethyl)phosphine (THP) as the coupling agent. The optimal pH and temperature of the THP-immobilized cells were determined at pH 8.0 and 55 °C. The half-lives of THP-immobilized cells measured at 35, 40, and 50 °C were 1800, 965, and 163 h, respectively. The concentration of R-mandelic acid (R-MA) reached 358 mM after merely 1-h conversion by the immobilized cells with 500 mM R,S-mandelonitrile (R,S-MN), affording the highest productivity of 1307 g L^?1 day^?1 and the space-time productivity of 143.2 mmol L^?1 h^?1 g^?1. The immobilized cells with granular shape were successfully recycled for 60 batches using 100 mM R,S-MN as substrate at 40 °C with 64% of relative activity, suggesting that the immobilized E. coli cells obtained in this study are promising for the production of R-MA.     

Efficient <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida rugosa</Emphasis> lipase immobilization on Maghnite clay and application for the production of (<Emphasis Type="Italic">1R</Emphasis>)-(−)-Menthyl acetate

This work focused on the identification of natural, economical, and efficient supports for immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) to catalyze the resolution of (±)-menthol. To this purpose, CRL has been immobilized on natural montmorillonite from Algeria (Maghnite-H), ion-exchange resins (Amberjet^®1200-H and Amberjet^®4200-Cl), and diatomaceous earth (Celite^®545). After a preliminary screening of supports, the immobilization of CRL led to a markedly improved enantioselectivity. Excellent enantioselectivity (E ≥ 134) was achieved by the four supported lipases (E = 68 for free enzyme). Compared to the three other supports tested, higher enantioselectivity was observed with Maghnite-H used as immobilization matrix. In this work, the effects of solvent, reaction time, and temperature, on the conversion as well as on enantioselectivity were investigated. The maximum of conversion (% C = 43%) with high enantiomeric excess of products (eep > 99) was obtained when the reaction is catalyzed by CRL immobilized on Maghnite-H at 30 °C for 24 h, and using toluene as selected solvent. Immobilized CRL on Maghnite-H exhibited good thermostability over a wide temperature range (30–90 °C) compared to the free one. These results suggest that CRL immobilized on Maghnite-H has good potential as biocatalyst for the production of (1R)-(?)-menthyl acetate.     

Physical and Covalent Immobilization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lipase</Emphasis> onto Amine Groups Bearing Thiol-Ene Photocured Coatings

In this study, amine groups containing thiol-ene photocurable coating material for lipase immobilization were prepared. Lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) from Candida rugosa was immobilized onto the photocured coatings by physical adsorption and glutaraldehyde-activated covalent bonding methods, respectively. The catalytic efficiency of the immobilized and free enzymes was determined for the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl palmitate and also for the synthesis of p-nitrophenyl linoleate. The storage stability and the reusability of the immobilized enzyme and the effect of temperature and pH on the catalytic activities were also investigated. The optimum pH for free lipase and physically immobilized lipase was determined as 7.0, while it was found as 7.5 for the covalent immobilization. After immobilization, the optimum temperature increased from 37 °C (free lipase) to 50–55 °C. In the end of 15 repeated cycles, covalently bounded enzyme retained 60 and 70 % of its initial activities for hydrolytic and synthetic assays, respectively. While the physically bounded enzyme retained only 56 % of its hydrolytic activity and 67 % of its synthetic activity in the same cycle period. In the case of hydrolysis V _max values slightly decreased after immobilization. For synthetic assay, the V _max value for the covalently immobilized lipase was found as same as free lipase while it decreased dramatically for the physically immobilized lipase. Physically immobilized enzyme was found to be superior over covalent bonding in terms of enzyme loading capacity and optimum temperature and exhibited comparable re-use values and storage stability. Thus, a fast, easy, and less laborious method for lipase immobilization was developed.     

Highly efficient mesoporous WO<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>/KIT-6 catalysts for oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene with hydrogen peroxide

Oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of organic compounds containing sulfur element from a model oil was performed using tungsten oxide catalysts supported on mesoporous silica with cubic Ia3d mesostructure, well-defined mesopores (7.2 nm), high surface area (719 m²/g), and three-dimensional pore network (WO _x /KIT-6). The prepared WO _x /KIT-6 catalysts (5–20 wt% WO _x ) were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, N₂ sorption measurements, electron microscopy, H₂-temperature programmed reduction, Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Among the mesoporous catalysts, 10 wt% WO _x /KIT-6 exhibited the best catalytic performance. Sulfur-containing organic compounds, such as dibenzothiophene, 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene, and benzothiophene, were completely (100 %) removed from the model oil over 10 wt% WO _x /KIT-6 catalyst in 2 h. In addition, the catalyst could be reused several times with only slight decrease in catalytic activity.     

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes used as support for lipase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Burkholderia cepacia</Emphasis>

Commercial lipase from Burkholderia cepacia is immobilized on functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT-COOH and MWNT-OH) provided by a physical adsorption. The immobilization processes for the carbon nanotubes are defined using immobilization time (0–30 min) and distinct adsorbent:adsorbate ratios (1:4, 1:7, and 1:10) with lipase loading of 100, 175, and 250 mg, respectively. The characterization of the immobilized preparations, the free lipase, and the pure nanotubes (MWNT-COOH and MWNT-OH) indicate that the lipase adsorption is increased. Thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy are used. The specific surface area, pore volumes, and average pore diameters are determined by nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms. For the pure lipase, in the range between 40 and 300 °C, the micrograph is acquired. Experimental results clearly show an effective lipase adsorption in a lower period of time (5 min) in MWNT-COOH and MWNT-OH as well as a decrease in the surface area (98.30–45.9(86)?±?2.5 and 97.61–37.71?±?3.3(7) m² g^?1) and the pore volume (0.48–0.25?±?0.01 and 0.39–0.24?±?0.05 cm³ g^?1), indicating that functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes can be successfully used as enzyme support.     

Biosynthesis,characterization, and antimicrobial effect of silver nanoparticles obtained using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lavandula</Emphasis> × <Emphasis Type="Italic">intermedia</Emphasis>

The use..... of aqueous leaf extract of Lavandula × intermedia for biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is presented. The plant extract was obtained by boiling dried leaves and using the obtained filtrate for the synthesis of AgNPs. The study was conducted to investigate an ecofriendly approach to metal nanoparticle synthesis and to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of both the aqueous plant extract and resulting silver nanoparticles against different microbes using the disc diffusion method. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles was monitored using ultraviolet–visible (UV–v is) spectroscopy, which showed a localized surface plasmon resonance band at 411 nm and a shift of the band to higher wavenumber of 422 nm after 90 min of reaction. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscopy of the obtained AgNPs revealed their crystalline nature, with average size of 12.6 nm. Presence of elemental silver was further confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed presence of phytochemicals from Lavandula × intermedia leaf extract on the AgNPs. The AgNPs showed good antimicrobial activity with inhibition zone ranging from 10 to 23 mm; the largest inhibition zone (23 mm) occurred against Escherichia coli. Generally, the AgNPs displayed more antimicrobial activity against all investigated pathogens compared with Lavandula × intermedia leaf extract, and were also more active than streptomycin against Klebsiella oxytoca and E. coli at the same concentration. The silver nanoparticles showed prominent antimicrobial activity with a lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 15 μg/mL against E. coli, K. oxytoca, and Candida albicans.     

Ethanol Production from Starch Hydrolyzates using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zymomonas mobilis</Emphasis> and Glucoamylase Entrapped in Polyvinylalcohol Hydrogel

The glucoamylase from Aspergillus niger, immobilized into poly(vinylalcohol) hydrogel lens-shaped capsules LentiKats®, was used for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) with Zymomonas mobilis in free form. This system was stable in both the repeated batch and continuous mode of SSF. The microorganism was found to adsorb on the capsules with immobilized enzyme. This increased the ethanol productivity of the repeated batch system with 5% w/v of immobilized glucoamylase almost 2.1 times (7.2 g l^?1 h^?1) compared to free enzyme–free microorganism system (3.5 g l^?1 h^?1). The continuous SSF with the immobilized glucoamylase (11.5% w/v) tested for 15 days had productivity 10 g l^?1 h^?1, which is comparable to continuous experiments on semi-defined glucose medium (10 g l^?1 h^?1). These two systems were stable in both glucoamylase activity and microorganism productivity.     

Saw-sedge <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cladium mariscus</Emphasis> as a functional low-cost adsorbent for effective removal of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid from aqueous systems

For the first time in the published literature, a study is described concerning the use of the saw-sedge Cladium mariscus (C. mariscus) for adsorption of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) from aqueous systems. Among the experiments carried out, the elemental composition of C. mariscus was determined (C = 48.0 %, H = 7.1 %, N = 0.95 %, S = 0.4 %), FTIR spectroscopic analysis was performed to confirm the chemical structure of the adsorbent, and porous structure parameters were measured: BET surface area (A _BET  = 0.6 m²/g), total pore volume (V _p  = 0.001 cm³/g) and average pore size (S _p  = 6.6 nm). It was shown that the effectiveness of removal of 2,4-D from aqueous systems using C. mariscus depends on parameters of the process: contact time, system pH, mass of sorbent, and temperature. Maximum adsorption was attained for a solution at pH = 3. Further increase in the alkalinity of the tested systems led to a reduction in the effectiveness of the process. The kinetic of adsorption of 2,4-D by C. mariscus was also determined, and thermodynamic aspects were investigated. The experimental data obtained correspond to a pseudo-second-order kinetic model of type 1. Additionally the negative values obtained for ΔHº indicate that the process is exothermic, and the negative values of ΔGº show it to be spontaneous. As the temperature of the system increases the spontaneity of adsorption is reduced, in accordance with the exothermic nature of the process.     

A Green Approach for the Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Root Extract of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chelidonium majus:</Emphasis> Characterization and Antibacterial Evaluation

In this study, silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) have been synthesized using extract of Chelidonium majus root in aqueous solution at room temperature. The root extract was able to reduce Ag⁺ to Ag⁰ and stabilized the nanoparticles Different physico-chemical techniques including UV–Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) were used for the characterization of the biosynthesized Ag-NPs obtained. The surface plasmon resonance band appeared at 431 nm is an evidence for formation of Ag-NPs. TEM imaging revealed that the synthesized Ag-NPs have an average diameter of around 15 nm and with spherical shape. Moreover the crystalline structure of synthesized nanoparticles was confirmed using XRD pattern. Furthermore antimicrobial activities of synthesized Ag-NPs were evaluated against Escherichia coli -ATCC 25922 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 2785 bacteria strain.     

Growth Parameters,Photosynthetic Performance,and Biochemical Characterization of Newly Isolated Green Microalgae in Response to Culture Condition Variations

This work aimed to characterize two native microalgal strains newly isolated from South Mediterranean areas and identified as Chlorella sorokiniana ES3 and Neochloris sp. AM2. The growth properties and biochemical composition of these microalgae were evaluated in different culture media (Algal, BG-11, f/2, and Conway). Among the tested media, nitrate- and phosphate-rich Algal medium provided the maximum biomass productivities (85.5 and 111.5 mg l^?1 day^?1 for C. sorokiniana and Neochloris sp., respectively), while the nitrate- and phosphate-deficient f/2 medium resulted in the highest lipid productivities (24.1 and 35.8 mg l^?1 day^?1 for C. sorokiniana and Neochloris sp., respectively). The physiological state of both microalgae was investigated under different light and temperature levels using the pulse amplitude-modulated fluorometry. The better photosynthetic efficiency of C. sorokiniana was obtained at 23 °C with a light saturation of 156 μE m^?2 s^?1, while that of Neochloris sp. was achieved at 15 °C with a light saturation of 151 μE m^?2 s^?1. The analysis of fatty acid profile and biodiesel parameters revealed that C. sorokiniana, cultivated in Algal and f/2 media, can be considered as a suitable candidate for high-quality biodiesel production.     

Electrochemical synthesis of metal nanoparticles using a polymeric mediator,whose reduced form is adsorbed (deposited) on an electrode

Efficient mediated electrosynthesis of nanocomposite Au@р(MVCA⁸⁺-co-St) (~6 nm), in which ultrasmall Au nanoparticles (Au-NP) were bound in nanocapsules of water-soluble nanoparticles of соpolymer р(MVCA⁸⁺-co-St) of tetraviologen calix[4]resorcinol (MVCA⁸⁺) with styrene (St), was accomplished by the reduction of Au^I in aqueous medium. The quanti- tative reduction of Au^I was carried out using the theoretically necessary amount of electricity and was not accompanied by the deposition of metal on the electrode. Radical cations of viologen units MV^?+ of the molecule р(MVCA^4?+-co-St) adsorbed on the electrode and π-dimers MV^?+···MV^?+ of π-polymers [р(MVCA^4?+-co-St)] _n deposited on the electrode act- ed as the reducing agents with respect to Au^I. During electrolysis, the nanoparticles agglo- merated to 37—50 nm. The nanocomposite particles dispersed in ethanol had sizes of 72±16 nm and also contained Au-NP with sizes of 51±8 and 19±3 nm. The catalytic activity of the nanocomposite in the reduction of p-nitrophenol with sodium borohydride was demon- strated. A similar reduction of AgCl nanoparticles (~250 nm) led to the formation of silver nanoparticles with crystallite sizes in the range of 7—11 nm, the process was inefficient, however, even when using 250% of electricity, an incomplete reduction of AgCl was still observed.     

Production and Biotechnological Application of Extracellular Alkalophilic Lipase from Marine Macroalga-Associated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Shewanella algae</Emphasis> to Produce Enriched C<Subscript>20-22</Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Concentrate

An extracellular alkalophilic lipase was partially purified from heterotrophic Shewanella algae (KX 272637) associated with marine macroalgae Padina gymnospora. The enzyme possessed a molecular mass of 20 kD, and was purified 60-fold with a specific activity of 36.33 U/mg. The enzyme exhibited V_max and K_m of 1000 mM/mg/min and 157 mM, respectively, with an optimum activity at 55 °C and pH 10.0. The catalytic activity of the enzyme was improved by Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions, and the enzyme showed a good tolerance towards organic solvents, such as methanol, isopropanol, and ethanol. The purified lipase hydrolyzed the refined liver oil from leafscale gulper shark Centrophorus squamosus, yielding a total C_20-22 n-3 PUFA concentration of 34.99% with EPA + DHA accounting the major share (34% TFA), after 3 h of hydrolysis. This study recognized the industrial applicability of the thermostable and alkalophilic lipase from marine macroalga-associated bacterium Shewanella algae to produce enriched C_20-22 n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrate.     

Flavonoid dihydromyricetin-mediated silver nanoparticles as potential nanomedicine for biomedical treatment of infections caused by opportunistic fungal pathogens

Dihydromyricetin-mediated silver nanoparticles (DMY-AgNPs) were synthesized and their efficacy against fungal pathogens tested in vitro. The shape of DMY-AgNPs appeared to be spherical with size of ~34 nm. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis indicated that –OH and C=O groups were involved in nanoparticle formation. The XRD pattern of DMY-AgNPs showed strong peaks at 38°, 44°, and 64°, corresponding to reflection from (111), (200), and (220) planes. Five opportunistic fungal pathogens, namely Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Paecilomyces formosus, Candida albicans, and Candida parapsilosis, were isolated from patients suffering from respiratory tract infections. Growth of each fungal strain was inhibited by DMY-AgNPs. The zone of inhibition of DMY-AgNPs against A. fumigatus, A. niger, P. formosus, C. albicans, and C. parapsilosis was 17.6, 19.2, 22.2, 15.8, and 18.5 mm. The minimal inhibitory concentration was found to be 0.83, 0.73, 0.67, 0.95, and 0.89 µg mL^?1, respectively. This is the first report on DMY-AgNPs as an effective antifungal agent. DMY-AgNPs are a potential alternative to commercially available antifungal fungicidals.     

Synthesis of SBA-15 from low cost silica precursor obtained from sugarcane leaf ash and its application as a support matrix for lipase in biodiesel production

Ordered mesoporous silica material was synthesized from a low-cost precursor, sugarcane leaf ash, was used as a support matrix for lipase for the production of biodiesel. The mesoporous samples were characterized using Fourier transform infra red spectroscopy. The surface topography and morphology of the mesoporous materials were studied using scanning electron microscope. The pore diameter, pore volume, Brunauer Emmett and Teller surface area of the mesoporous material were determined by N₂ gas adsorption technique. Different pore size Santa Barbara Acid-15 (SBA-15) samples were synthesized and their lipase immobilization capacity and specific enzyme activity of immobilization lipase were determined and compared. Lipase from Candida Antarctica immobilized on SBA-15 (C) had shown maximum percentage immobilization and specific enzyme activity. The immobilized lipase mesoporous matrix was used for biodiesel production from crude non-edible Calophyllum inophyllum oil. The percentage yield of fatty acid methyl ester, 97.6 % was obtained under optimized conditions: 100 mg of lipase immobilized on SBA-15, 6:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, the reaction of 2 g C. inophyllum oil with methanol.     

A Calcium-Ion-Stabilized Lipase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas stutzeri</Emphasis> ZS04 and its Application in Resolution of Chiral Aryl Alcohols

An extracellular organic solvent-tolerant lipase-producing bacterium was isolated from oil-contaminated soil samples and was identified taxonomically as Pseudomonas stutzeri, from which the lipase was purified and exhibited maximal activity at temperature of 50 °C and pH of 9.0. Meanwhile, the lipase was stable below or at 30 °C and over an alkaline pH range (7.5–11.0). Ca²⁺ could significantly improve the lipase thermal stability which prompts a promising application in biocatalysis through convenient medium engineering. The lipase demonstrated striking features such as distinct stability to the most tested hydrophilic and hydrophobic solvents (25 %, v/v), and DMSO could activate the lipase dramatically. In the enzyme-catalyzed resolution, lipase ZS04 manifested excellent enantioselective esterification toward the (R)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-ethanol (MOPE), a crucial chiral intermediate in pharmaceuticals as well as in other analogs with strict substrate specificity and theoretical highest conversion yield. This strong advantage over other related schemes made lipase ZS04 a promising biocatalyst in organic synthesis and pharmaceutical applications.     

Enzymeless determination of cholesterol using gold and silver nanoparticles as electrocatalysts

We present the results of synthesis and study of the electrocatalytic activity of gold and silver nanoparticles of different composition (individual metals, core–shell particles, nanoalloys, and particles synthesized electrochemically), immobilized on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode, with respect to cholesterol. A surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) is selected to create an aqueous–organic emulsion of cholesterol. It is demonstrated that nanoparticles with a gold core and a silver shell with the regression equation of I = 1.4 × 10^–5 c _chol + 5.8 × 10^–5 (R ² = 0.97) and silver nanoparticles synthesized electrochemically with the regression equation of I = 1.0 × 10^–5 c _chol + 3.0 × 10^–4 (R ² = 0.95) possess optimal electrocatalytic characteristics.     

Efficient Regioselective Synthesis of the Crotonyl Polydatin Prodrug by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thermomyces lanuginosus</Emphasis> Lipase: a Kinetics Study in Eco-friendly 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran

Bio-based solvents have recently been discussed as sustainable green and promising alternatives to conventional organic media for enzymatic processes. In this paper, highly regioselective synthesis of the 6″-O-crotonyl-polydatin catalyzed by Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL) in biomass-derived 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) was successfully performed for the first time. The results indicated that TLL lipase displayed significantly improved catalytic performance in 2-MeTHF than in other traditional solvents. Under the optimal conditions, the initial reaction rate, 6″-regioselectivity, and maximum substrate conversion were as high as 12.38 mM h^?1, 100 %, and 100 %, respectively. Moreover, further investigations on the operational stability, kinetic parameters like V _max, K _m, V _max/K _m, and E _a revealed that 2-MeTHF exhibited excellent biocompatibility and rendered the greener process of the enzymatic acylation.     

Polyesters from Macrolactones Using Commercial Lipase NS 88011 and Novozym 435 as Biocatalysts

The demand for environmentally friendly products allied with the depletion of natural resources has increased the search for sustainable materials in chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Polyesters are among the most widely used biodegradable polymers in biomedical applications. In this work, aliphatic polyesters (from globalide and ω-pentadecalactone) were synthesized using a new commercial biocatalyst, the low-cost immobilized NS 88011 lipase (lipase B from Candida antarctica immobilized on a hydrophobic support). Results were compared with those obtained under the same conditions using a traditional, but more expensive, commercial biocatalyst, Novozym 435 (lipase B from C. antarctica immobilized on Lewatit VP OC). When NS 88011 was used in the polymerization of globalide, longer reaction times (240 min)—when compared to Novozym 435—were required to obtain high yields (80–90 wt%). However, higher molecular weights were achieved. When poly(ω-pentadecalactone) was synthesized, high yields and molecular weights (130,000 g mol^?1) were obtained and the enzyme concentration showed strong influence on the polyester properties. This is the first report describing NS 88011 in polymer synthesis. The use of this cheaper enzymatic preparation can provide an alternative for polyester synthesis via enzymatic ring-opening polymerization.