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Performance of a cutinase membrane reactor for the production of biodiesel in organic media
Author(s) -
Badenes Sara M.,
Lemos Francisco,
Cabral Joaquim M.S.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.23054
Subject(s) - cutinase , chemistry , bioreactor , biodiesel , chromatography , isoamyl alcohol , membrane reactor , membrane , alcohol , enzyme , organic chemistry , biochemistry , catalysis
The enzymatic transesterification of oils with an alcohol, using recombinant cutinase of Fusarium solani pisi microencapsulated in sodium bis(2‐ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT)/isooctane reversed micelles, was performed in a membrane bioreactor (MBR). A tubular ceramic membrane with a nominal molecular weight cut off of 15,000 Da was used to retain the enzyme, and characterized in terms of rejection coefficients of the reaction components by transmission experiments. The performance of the MBR in a total recirculation‐batch mode was compared with results obtained in a stirred batch tank reactor. The continuous operation of the MBR was also evaluated and the influence of the alcohol type and permeate flow rate on conversion degree and productivity (up to 500 g product /day/g enzyme was attained) were analyzed. Cutinase wild type and mutant T179C were tested for this process and the high long‐term operational stability of the cutinase mutant demonstrated its potential as biocatalyst for the enzymatic continuous production of biodiesel. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011; 108:1279–1289. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.