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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Defining Substrate Specificities for Lipase and Phospholipase Candidates
Published on: November 23, 2016
Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of sorbitol-fatty acid esters at extremely high substrate concentrations
Hyun Jung Kim1, Sung Hun Youn, Chul Soo Shin
1Department of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, Yonsei University, 134 Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749, South Korea.
Abstract:
Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of sorbitol-fatty acid esters was performed in eutectic media with extremely high substrate concentrations. Homogeneous eutectic melts of sorbitol and fatty acids of C6-C16 were prepared using an adjuvant mixture. Enhanced homogeneity of mixtures was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The substrate concentration was 3.63-6.67 M in the eutectic media, whereas in organic media the concentration was below 0.10 M. Esters were synthesized with an immobilized Candida antarctica lipase, and optimum conditions were analyzed. Compared to reactions in organic media, the initial reaction rate of ester synthesis and the overall productivity were significantly enhanced in eutectic media while the conversion yields were similar. Based on the kinetic analysis, highly viscous eutectic media were shown to influence the initial reaction rate and the apparent activation energy resulting in diffusion limitations.
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