CONTINUOUS LIPOLYSIS IN A REVERSED MICELLAR MEMBRANE BIOREACTOR

The enzymatic hydrolysis of olive oil using Chromobacterium viscosum l ipase B encapsulated in reversed micelles of AOT in isooctane was carr ied out in a continous reversed micellar membrane bioreactor. A tubula r ceramic membrane installed in an ultrafiltration module was used to retain the lipase and separate the products from the reaction media. W ater filled micelles were supplemented to the reactor together with th e substrate/solvent solution to compensate for the permeation of rever sed micelles. The influence of substrate concentration, residence time and water content in the productivity and conversion of the system we re investigated. A linear relationship between productivity and conver sion degree was found for each substrate concentration tested. Operati onal stability of the bioreactor was tested in a long term operation c onfirming the high stability of this catalytic system.