Production of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids through hydrolysis of fish oil by Candida rugosa lipase immobilized and stabilized on different supports

This paper describes the fish oil hydrolysis performed to obtain Omega-3 fatty acids using Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) immobilized and stabilized on different supports. The enzyme was successfully immobilized, presenting higher thermal stability than the free enzyme. Besides, the cationic derivatives were more stable than the others derivatives and free enzyme in methanol, propanol and cyclohexane. Reactions of fish oil hydrolysis were carried out in organic aqueous medium using 10 U of biocatalyst per gram of oil, at 37 °C. After 96 h, the CRL immobilized on cyanogen bromide agarose rendered the lower fish oil hydrolysis, producing 218 μM of Omega-3, which was 1.1-fold more than the hydrolysis catalyzed by free enzyme, while the ionic derivatives rendered the highest fish oil hydrolysis producing 582 and 577 μM of Omega-3 using the carboxymethyl and sulfopropyl derivatives, respectively. The carboxymethyl and the sulfopropyl derivatives resulted in a 2.9-fold increase in the hydrolysis of fish oil, making these derivatives attractive for industrial applications.The authors wish to thank CAPES (Brazil) for the financial support through the ‘‘Programa de Doutorado Sanduiche no Exterior’’ (PDSE) abroad by the project BEX 14174/13-8.Peer Reviewe