Effect of moisture on enzymatic reaction in supercritical carbon dioxide

The continuous acidolysis of triolein and stearic acid was carried out by an immobilized lipase to elucidate the characteristics of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) as a reaction medium. At first, an effect of temperature and pressure on the water adsorption to the immobilized lipase in the SC-CO₂ was examined. Then, the continuous interesterification of triolein and stearic acid by the moist immobilized lipase was examined. The amount of water adsorption to the immobilized lipase in the supercritical carbon dioxide measured under the condition of a different temperature and pressure has been expressed by a correlation equation of Freundlich type by using relative water standardized with the solubility of water in each condition. Optimum operating conditions of the interesterification by immobilized lipase in the SC-CO₂ was 323 K, 16.9 MPa and adsorbed-water concentration of 2 wt%. The production rate obtained by enzymatic acidolysis in the SC-CO₂ was found to be about 0.03 mmol/h2g-immobilized enzyme, leaving 74% residual triglyceride at the optimum operating conditions.