REACTION HEAT MEASUREMENTS IN THE ENZYMATIC-HYDROLYSIS REACTION OF PENICILLIN GK TO OBTAIN 6-APA

The purpose of this study was to measure heats involved in the hydroly sis process for the industrial production of 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA) using dynamic calorimetry techniques. The experimental design was planned using Hess' law The information derived from the calorimet er was correlated mathematically to determine the heat released during enzymatic hydrolysis. This is important for temperature control syste ms and reactor design. The results obtained with the calorimetric meas urements at 308 K and pH 7.5 are the penicillin hydrolysis, Delta H-hy drol, at 35.9 +/- 5.7 W mol(-1) and phenyl acetic acid neutralization, Delta H-neut, at -47.1 +/- 3.8 kJ mol(-1). (C) 1996 by Elsevier Scien ce Inc.