Immobilization of Pseudomonas cepacia lipase onto electrospun polyacrylonitrile fibers through physical adsorption and application to transesterification in nonaqueous solvent.

The lipase of Pseudomonas cepacia was immobilized onto electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers and used for the conversion of (S)-glycidol with vinyl n-butyrate to glycidyl n-butyrate in isooctane. The rate of reaction with the adsorbed lipase was 23-fold higher than the initial material. After 10 recyclings, the initial reaction rate was 80% of the original rate. This system of enzyme immobilization is therefore suitable for carrying out transesterification reactions in nonaqueous solvents.