NOVEL REACTOR FOR AQUEOUS-ORGANIC 2-PHASE BIOCATALYSIS - A PACKED-BEDHOLLOW-FIBER MEMBRANE BIOREACTOR

Hollow fiber membranes were potted in a tubular shell with a particula te, microporous, enzyme bearing support packed in the shell space. A b icontinuous system was thus formed with the reactants. supplied throug h the shell and the fiber lumen, forming an interface at the surface o f the particles. Acid production rates, without any reactor optimizati on up to four times greater than with membrane reactors were obtained during the lipase catalyzed hydrolysis of ethyl laurate and olive oil.