LIPASE IMMOBILIZED MEMBRANE REACTOR APPLIED TO BABASSU OIL HYDROLYSIS

This work deals with enzymatic hydrolysis of babassu oil by immobilized lipase in membrane reactors of two types: a flat plate nylon membrane and a hollow fiber polyetherimide membrane on which surface commercial lipases were immobilized by adsorption. Experiments conducted in the hollow fiber reactor showed that during the immobilization step enzyme adsorption followed a sigmoid model, with a maximum adsorption equilibrium time of 30 minutes. Concerning the hydrodynamics of the liquid phases, the results indicate that main diffusional limitations occurred in the organic phase. The amount of protein immobilized and the maximum productivity were, respectively, 1.97 g/m2 and 44 <FONT FACE="Symbol">m</font> molH+/m2.s for the hollow fiber and 1.2 g/m2 and 56 <FONT FACE="Symbol">m</font> molH+/m2.s for the flat and plate membrane. Both reactors were able to perform the hydrolysis reaction, while maintaining absolute separation of the two phases by the membran