Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of water and silica gel on enzyme agglomeration in organic solvents

  • Published:
Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

It has been observed that water, which is absolutely essential for enzyme activity, can induce the agglomeration of enzyme particles in organic media. Although enzyme agglomeration is significant in that it usually reduces enzyme activity and stability, little attention has been paid to the quantitative analysis of enzyme agglomeration behavior in nonaqueous bioactalytic systems. In this study, the effects of water and silica gel on enzyme agglomeration were investigated usingCandida rugosa lipase and cyclohexane as a model enzyme and an organic medium. The extent of enzyme agglomeration was quantified by sieve analysis of freeze-dried agglomerates. Increasing the water content of the medium increased the size of the enzyme agglomerates, and it was found that water produced during the esterification reaction could also promote the agglomeration of enzyme particles suspended in organic media. On the other hand, the size of the enzyme agglomerates was remarkably reduced in the presence of silica gel at the same water content. We also show that this increase in the size of enzyme agglomerates results in lower reaction rates in organic solvents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Carrea, G. and S. Riva (2000) Properties and synthetic applications of enzymes in organic solvents.Angew.Chem. Ind. Ed. 39: 2226–2254.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Klibanov, A. M. (2001) Improving enzymes by using them in organic solvents.Nature 409: 241–246.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Klibanov, A. M. (1986) Enzymes that work in organic solvents.CHEMTECH 16: 354–359.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Kim, M. G. and S. B. Lee (1996) Enhanced catalytic efficiency of enzymes in organic media with the addition of the solid support: effect of silica gel on reaction rates and enzyme agglomeration.J. Mol. Cata. B Enzymatic 2: 127–140.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Stock, D. I. (1952) Micro-spherical aggregation of barium sulphate.Nature 170: 423.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Capes, C. E. and J. P. Sutherland (1967) Formation of spheres from finely divided solids in liquid suspension.Ind. Eng. Chem. Process Design Develop. 6: 146–154.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Kawashima, Y. and C. E. Capes (1976) Further studies of the kinetics of spherical agglomeration in a stirred vessel.Powder Technol. 13: 279–288.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kawashima, Y., K. Furukawa, and H. Takenaka (1981) The physicochemical parameters determining the size of agglomerate prepared by the wet spherical agglomeration technique.Powder Technol. 30: 211–216.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Bausch, A. and H. Leuenberger (1994) Wet spherical agglomeration of proteins as a new method to prepare parenteral fast soluble dosage forms.Int. J. Pharm. 101: 63–70.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Chow, A. H. L. and M. W. M. Leung (1996) A study of the mechanisms of wet spherical agglomeration of pharmaceutical powders.Drug Dev. Ind. Pharm. 22: 357–371.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Monot, F., F. Borzeix, M. Bardin, and J.-P. Vandecasteele (1991) Enzymatic esterification in organic media: role of water and organic solvent in kinetics and yield of butyl butyrate synthesis.Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 35: 759–765.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Yang, E. and A. J. Russell (1995) A comparison of lipasecatalyzed ester hydrolysis in reverse micelles, organic solvents, and biphasic systems.Biotechnol. Bioeng. 47: 60–70.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Tsai, S.-W. and J. S. Dordick (1996) Extraordinary enantiospecificity of lipase catalysis in organic media induced by purification and catalyst engineering.Biotechnol. Bioeng. 52: 296–300.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Martins, J. F., T. C. Sampaio, I. B. Carvalho, and S. Barreiros (1994) Lipase catalyzed esterification of glycidol in nonaqueous solvents: solvent effects on enzymatic activity.Biotechnol. Bioeng. 44: 119–124.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Goldberg, M., F. Parvaresh, D. Thomas, and M.-D. Logoy (1988) Enzymatic ester synthesis with continuous measurement of water activity.Biochim. Biophys. Act. 957: 359–362.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Mukesh, D., D. Sheth, A. Mokashi, J. Wagh, J. M. Tilak, A. A. Banerji, and K. R. Thakkar (1993) Lipas catalysed esterification of isosorbide and sorbitol.Biotechnol. Lett. 15: 1243–1246.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kim, M. G. and S. B. Lee (1996) Enzymatic resolution of racemic ibuprofen by lipase-catalyzed esterification reaction: effects of water content and solid support.J. Ferment. Bioeng. 81: 269–271.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Bernard, P. and D. Barth (1995) Internal mass transfer limitation during enzymatic esterification in supereitical carbon dioxide and hexane.Biocatal. Biotransform. 12: 299–308.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Kamat, S., E. J. Beckman, and A. J. Russell (1992) Role of diffusion in nonaqueous enzymology.Enzyme Microb. Technol. 14: 265–271.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, San 31, Hyoja-Dong, 790-784, Pohang, Korea

    Keehoon Won & Sun Bok Lee

  2. Institute of Environmental and Energy Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, San 31, Hyoja-Dong, 790-784, Pohang, Korea

    Keehoon Won & Sun Bok Lee

Authors
  1. Keehoon Won
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sun Bok Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sun Bok Lee.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Won, K., Lee, S.B. Effects of water and silica gel on enzyme agglomeration in organic solvents. Biotechnol. Bioprocess Eng. 6, 150–155 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931962

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931962

Keywords

Search

Navigation