DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL HOLLOW-FIBER MEMBRANE REACTOR FOR THE INTERESTERIFICATION OF TRIGLYCERIDES AND FATTY-ACIDS USING MODIFIED LIPASE

The feasibility of using a hollow-fibre membrane reactor for the lipas e-catalysed interesterification reaction of triglycerides and fatty, a cids in a microaqueous n-hexane system was investigated The enzyme use d in this study was surfactant-modified lipase with 1,3-positional spe cificity. This modified lipase catalysed predominantly tire interester ification reaction in a stirred-tank reactor as well as in a hollow-fi bre membrane reactor system. The membrane reactor system was operated both batchwise and continuously. In a four-run batch experiment, bioca talyst activity loss was observed after the first run, which was proba bly caused by permeation of the free surfactant through the membrane. However, there was no observed activity loss in the three subsequent r uns. The modified lipase retained its original activity for more than 70 h in continuous operation, and the membrane module system showed ex cellent resistance to the hydrophobic organic environment.