Process for immobilization of enzymes

Abstract

A process for producing an immobilized enzyme preparation for use in a mainly organic medium devoid of free water comprising using a fluid bed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for producing an immobilized enzyme preparation for use in a mainly organic medium devoid of free water, comprising: 
 a) fluidizing a particulate porous carrier in a fluid bed,    b) introducing an enzyme containing liquid medium by atomization into the fluid bed, so as to fixate the enzyme on the carrier, and    c) removing volatile components of the liquid medium from the carrier in the fluidized bed.    
     
     
         2 . A process for producing an immobilized enzyme preparation for use in a mainly organic medium devoid of free water, comprising: 
 a) contacting an enzyme containing liquid medium with a particulate porous carrier having a substantially hydrophobic surface, so as to adsorb the enzyme on the carrier,    b) introducing a hygroscopic substance, so as to suppress agglomeration of the carrier by absorbing excess liquid, and    c) removing volatile components of the liquid medium and the hygroscopic substance from the resulting product in a fluidized bed.    
     
     
         3 . A process for producing an immobilized enzyme preparation for use in a mainly organic medium devoid of free water, comprising: 
 a) introducing an enzyme containing liquid medium enzyme by atomization onto a particulate porous carrier having a substantially hydrophilic surface, so as to fixate the enzyme on the carrier, wherein the liquid is introduced in an amount such that substantially no agglomeration of the carrier occurs and    b) removing volatile components of the liquid medium from the resulting product in a fluidized bed.    
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises an inorganic material having a substantially hydrophilic surface, which is essentially insoluble in hydrophilic or hydrophobic liquids or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4 , wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of silicas, zeolites, aluminas and kaolins.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises an inorganic material selected from the group consisting of silicas, zeolites, aluminas and kaolins coated with organic moieties so as to provide a substantially hydrophobic surface.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises an organic polymer resin.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the resin is an adsorbent resin.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8  wherein the adsorbent resin is a polyacrylate, a polymethacrylate, polystyrene cross-linked with divinylbenzene, polyurethane or polypropylene.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the resin is an ion exchange resin.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein the ion exchange resin is an anion exchange resin.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the ion exchange resin is a weakly basic anion exchange resin.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier has an average pore size of 10-500 nm.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier has a surface area of 20-1000 m2/g.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier has a particle size of 200-1000 μm.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the carrier has a particle size of 400-700 μm.  
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the hygroscopic substance is particulate having a particle size which is smaller than the particle size of the carrier, and wherein the hygroscopic substance can be removed in step (c) by inserting at the top of the fluidized bed a filter having a pore size which will allow the hygroscopic substance to pass through.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 17 , wherein the hygroscopic substance is a silica material.  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said liquid medium is an aqueous medium.  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the enzyme is a lipase.  
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the lipase is derived from a strain of the genus Humicola (also known as Thermomyces), Pseudomonas, Candida, or Rhizomucor.  
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the lipase is derived from the species  H. lanuginosa  (also known as  Thermomyces lanuginosa ),  C. antarctica  or  R. miehei.    
     
     
         23 . A process for enzymatic modification of an organic compound comprising contacting in a reaction medium essentially devoid of free water said organic compound with an immobilized enzyme produced by the process of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         24 . The process according to  claim 23 , wherein the modification is a trans-esterification reaction comprising contacting a first reactant which is a fatty acid ester, and a second reactant which is another fatty acid ester, an alcohol or a free fatty acid with an immobilized lipase produced by the process of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the first reactant is a triglyceride.  
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the second reactant is a fatty acid ester, and the lipase positionally specific.  
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the first and the second reactants are different triglycerides or different mixtures of triglycerides, and the lipase is positionally 1,3-specific.  
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the reaction medium consists essentially of triglycerides.  
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the reaction medium comprises an organic solvent.