RESIDUAL STABILITY OF LIPASE FROM CANDIDA-RUGOSA IN HEXANE, SUPERCRITICAL CO2, AND SUPERCRITICAL SF6

Lipase from Candida rugosa (EC 3.1.1.3) lost only 15% of its activity when held in supercritical CO2 and about 10% activity in both supercri tical SF6 and hexane even after two days of incubation at up to 60 deg rees C and 82 atm. A pressure of 680 atm resulted in up to 15% loss of enzyme activity in supercritical CO2 and only about 5% loss of activi ty in supercritical SF6 even at 410 atm. There was about 60% decrease in enzyme activity even at 1% water content in supercritical CO2. Supe rcritical SF6 is a better solvent than supercritical CO2 and hexane.