The objective of this study was to evaluate the immobilization of lipase on a chitosan support by physical adsorption, aiming at its application in hydrolytic and synthetic reactions. Two types of chitosan (flakes and porous) were used for immobilizing lipase from a microbial source (Candida rugosa) and animal cells (porcine pancreas). The best results for recovery of total activity after immobilization were obtained for microbial lipase and porous chitosan beads. This set was selected for further immobilization studies, including full characterization of the immobilized derivative in aqueous and organic media. In aqueous medium, the operational and thermal stabilities of this preparation were quantified. In organic medium, the direct synthesis of n-butyl butyrate in organic solvent was chosen as a model reaction. The influence of several parameters, such as temperature, initial butyric acid concentration and amount of enzyme in the reaction system, was analyzed. Production of n-butyl butyrate was optimized and an ester yield response equation was obtained, making it possible to predict ester yields from known values of the three main factors. Use of this immobilized preparation was extended to the direct esterification of a large range of carboxylic acids (from C2 to C12) with a variety of alcohols (from C2 to C10).

Commercial cellobiase has been immobilized in controlled pore silica particles by covalent binding with the silane-glutaraldehyde method with protein and activity yields of 67% and 13.7%, respectively. Thermal stability of the free and immobilized enzyme (IE) was determined with 0.2% w/v cellobiose solution, pH 4.8, temperatures from 40 to 70°C for free enzyme and 40 to 75°C for IE. Free cellobiase maintained its activity practically constant for 240 min at temperatures up to 55°C. The IE has shown higher stability retaining its activity in the same test up to 60° C. Half-lives for free enzyme were 14.1, 2.1 and 0.17 h at 60, 65 and 70°C, respectively, whereas the IE at the same temperatures had half-lives of 245, 21.3 and 2.9 h. The energy of thermal deactivation was 80.6 kcal/mol for the free enzyme and 85.2 kcal/mol for the IE, confirming stabilization by immobilization.

The thermal stability and the energy of deactivation of free invertase and the immobilized enzyme (IE) was measured at temperatures in the range of 35 to 65°C for the hydrolysis of a 5% w/v sucrose solution. The free enzyme at pH 5.0 is stable up to 50°C for a period of 4 h. Invertase immobilized in controlled pore silica by the silane-glutaraldehyde covalent method is stable up to 55ºC, in pH 4.5 for the same period. For higher temperatures the enzyme deactivation follows the exponential decay model and half-lives are 0.53, 1.80, and 13.9 h for free invertase, at 65, 60, and 55ºC, respectively. For the IE half-lives are 0.48, 1.83, and 20.9 h, at 65, 60, and 55ºC, respectively. The IE is more stable than the free invertase; the energy of deactivation being 83.1 kcal/mol for the IE and 72.0 kcal/mol for the free enzyme.

Invertase from NOVO Nordisk has been immobilized in controlled pore silica particles (diameter: 0.351 mm and mean pore size: 37.5 nm) by covalent binding with the silane-glutaraldehyde method. The activity of the free and immobilized enzyme (IE) was determined with 5% (w/v) sucrose, at 35 to 65ºC and pH from 3 to 7. Maximum activities were found in the pH range from 5 to 6 for free invertase, and pH 4.5 for the IE. Activity yield for the IE was 24%. The Energy of Activation (Ea) was found to be a function of pH, giving for free invertase, Ea = 7.0 and 6.86 kcal/mol at pH 5.0 and 5.5, respectively, whereas for the immobilized enzyme, Ea = 6.55 and 5.93 kcal/mol at pH 4.5 and 5.0, respectively.

A simple method for the preparation of silica with controlled pore size, for use as a support for the immobilization of enzymes, is described in this article. Using sodium silicate and hydrochloric acid, a microporous silica was obtained that was then submitted to a hydrothermal treatment, resulting in macroporous silica suitable for enzyme immobilization. Suitability of the macroporous silica as a support depends on the method chosen for its preparation, which will determine pore volume and the effect of hydrothermal treatment on pore size. The pore volume of the support was 0.8-0.9 cc/g and the average pore size, controlled by the hydrothermal treatment, was in the range of 16 to 75 nm. The enzyme amyloglucosidase was used for the immobilization studies.