Immobilization of Rhizomucor miehei lipase on a polymeric film for synthesis of important fatty acid esters: kinetics and application studies.

The present work deals with the designing of biocompatible hybrid blend of cellulosic copolymers made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HMC) and chitosan (CHI) for immobilization of Rhizomucor miehei lipase (RML), in order to construct the robust biocatalytic system to synthesize industrially important dodecanoate compounds (fatty acid esters). The present biocatalyst HMC:CHI:RML was characterized in detail by various physical and biochemical methods and subsequently applied for the synthesis of fatty acid esters. The protocol was optimized in detail with kinetic parameters which provides excellent % conversion, and further we have synthesized fifteen industrially important compounds which have wide potential for commercial applications. The immobilized lipase HMC:CHI:RML offered four- to eightfold higher conversion and biocatalytic activity as compared to crude lipase. Besides this, recyclability study was also performed to assess economic and industrial viability.