Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026
08:59
Defining Substrate Specificities for Lipase and Phospholipase Candidates
Published on: November 23, 2016
Comparison of two-phase lipase-catalyzed esterification on micro and bench scale
Jan W Swarts1, Petra Vossenberg, Marieke H Meerman
1Wageningen University and Research Centre, Food and Bioprocess Engineering Group, Bomenweg 2, 6703 HD Wageningen, The Netherlands. jan.swarts@wur.nl
Biotechnology and Bioengineering
|September 20, 2007
Summary
Enzyme kinetic parameters for lipase B from Candida antarctica can be determined on a micro scale and applied to bench scale. This downscaling approach reduces reagent and catalyst costs for optimizing enzymatic processes.
Area of Science:
- Biocatalysis
- Enzyme Kinetics
- Process Optimization
Background:
- Lipase B from Candida antarctica (CALB) is a widely used biocatalyst.
- Esterification reactions are important in various chemical industries.
- Scaling up enzymatic processes requires accurate kinetic data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare enzyme kinetic parameters of CALB-catalyzed esterification on micro and bench scales.
- To investigate the feasibility of downscaling kinetic studies for process optimization.
- To evaluate the impact of scale on enzyme activation and inactivation.
Main Methods:
- Esterification of propionic acid and 1-butanol catalyzed by CALB.
- Utilized a water/n-decane two-phase system.
- Performed reactions on both micro and bench scales.
- Analyzed reaction kinetics using a Ping Pong Bi Bi mechanism model.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in kinetic parameters were observed between micro and bench scales.
- Temperature effects on enzyme activation and inactivation were consistent across scales.
- The Ping Pong Bi Bi mechanism with alcohol inhibition accurately described the reaction kinetics.
Conclusions:
- Kinetic parameters determined on a micro scale are applicable to bench scale.
- Downscaling kinetic studies offers a cost-effective method for process optimization.
- CALB's performance is predictable across different reaction scales.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Carboxylic Acids to Esters: Acid-Catalyzed (Fischer) Esterification Overview
The Fischer esterification reaction was developed by the German chemist Emil Fischer in 1895. It is a condensation reaction between carboxylic acids and alcohols in an acidic medium to give esters and water.
01:13Esters to Carboxylic Acids: Acid-Catalyzed Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis of esters under acidic conditions proceeds through a nucleophilic acyl substitution. In the presence of excess water, the reaction proceeds in a reversible manner, forming carboxylic acids and alcohols.
During hydrolysis, the ester is first activated towards nucleophilic attack through the protonation of the carboxyl oxygen atom by the acid catalyst. The protonation makes the ester carbonyl carbon more electrophilic. In the next step, water acts as a nucleophile and adds to the...
During hydrolysis, the ester is first activated towards nucleophilic attack through the protonation of the carboxyl oxygen atom by the acid catalyst. The protonation makes the ester carbonyl carbon more electrophilic. In the next step, water acts as a nucleophile and adds to the...
01:25Esters to Carboxylic Acids: Saponification
Esters can be hydrolyzed to carboxylic acids under acidic or basic conditions. Base-promoted hydrolysis of esters is a nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction in which esters react with an aqueous base, followed by an acid to give carboxylic acids. This reaction is also known as saponification because it forms the basis for making soaps from fats.
The reaction requires a base in stoichiometric amounts, which participates in the reaction and is not regenerated later. So, the base acts as a...
The reaction requires a base in stoichiometric amounts, which participates in the reaction and is not regenerated later. So, the base acts as a...
01:13Carboxylic Acids to Esters: Acid-Catalyzed (Fischer) Esterification Mechanism
Carboxylic acids react with alcohols to yield esters via an acid-catalyzed condensation reaction called Fischer esterification. This is a nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction that proceeds via a tetrahedral intermediate, where a water molecule is eliminated as the leaving group.
01:25Biofuels
The microbial conversion of organic matter into biofuels holds potential as a renewable energy source. Among biofuel sources, microalgae are recognized as a highly efficient and adaptable feedstock for biodiesel production, owing to their rapid biomass accumulation, elevated lipid productivity, and capacity to proliferate in diverse aquatic systems, including freshwater, marine, and wastewater habitats. Unlike terrestrial crops, microalgae do not compete for land and can achieve significantly...
01:08Esters to β-Ketoesters: Claisen Condensation Mechanism
Regular Claisen condensation involves the synthesis of β-ketoesters by combining identical ester molecules bearing two α hydrogens in the presence of an alkoxide base. The reaction commences with the deprotonation of the acidic α hydrogen by the base to form a resonance stabilized ester enolate. This nucleophilic ion then attacks the carbonyl center of another ester molecule to generate a tetrahedral alkoxide intermediate. Next, the expulsion of the alkoxide group from the intermediate restores...