Microemulsions as a tool for enzymatic studies: The case of lipase

Abstract

Lipase can catalyze the synthesis of various specific esters, under mild conditions, provided that the water content is low in the reaction medium. Such reactions can take place in water in oil microemulsions, since in these systems i) the substrates can be solubilized in the continuous phase, ii) the enzyme molecule is hosted in the dispersed phase, iii) the water concentration can be controlled, and iv) the interface for these heterogeneous reactions is considerably increased. Nonionic microemulsions formulated with C₁₂E₄ in decane, were used for the enzymatic synthesis of fatty acid esters. The effect of various parameters on the reaction rate was studied. These systems were also used for transesterification reactions of triglycerides with free fatty acids.