Process development of continuous glycerolysis in an immobilized enzyme-packed reactor for industrial monoacylglycerol production

Continuous and easily operated glycerolysis was studied in different lipase-packed columns to evaluate the most potential process set-ups for industrial monoacylglycerol (MAG) production. Practical design-related issues such as enzyme-filling degree, required reaction time, mass transfer investigations, and capacity and stability of the enzyme were evaluated. A commercially available immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B was used to catalyze the glycerolysis reaction between glycerol and sunflower oil dissolved in a binary tert-butanol:tert-pentanol medium. Considering easy handling of the enzyme and measured expansion when wetted with a reaction mixture, a filling degree of 52 vol % dry enzymes particles per column volume seemed appropriate. Twenty minutes was required to reach equilibrium conditions with a MAG content of 50–55 wt %. Only insignificant indications of mass transfer limitations were observed. Hence, the commercial lipase seemed adequate to use in its available particle size distribution ...