Modeling of a Catalyzed Reaction Using Lipase Immobilized in a Poly(vinyl alcohol) Membrane

Abstract

A mathematical model for the hydrolysis reaction of p‐nitro phenol laurate catalyzed by a lipase immobilized in a membrane was developed. In an earlier study this model reaction was found to show very different reaction rates when it was performed in aqueous micellar solution with free enzyme and with membrane immobilized enzyme. It was assumed that a local accumulation of substrate in the membrane is responsible for the observed rate enhancement. The conversion of p‐nitro phenol ester within the membrane was modeled by considering a combination of the convective flow through poly(vinyl alcohol) membrane pores, concentration polarization of substrate containing micelles at the membrane surface and the kinetics of the reaction with free enzymes. It was demonstrated that the model offered a comprehensive understanding of the interaction of the involved phenomena. The modeling results are in good agreement with the experimental data from 10 runs with different enzyme and substrate concentrations. The substrate concentration at the membrane surface increased by up to a factor of 3 compared to the feed concentration. This effect explains the observed rate enhancement. Moreover, the model was used to determine the unknown parameters, i.e., the intrinsic retention and the mass transfer coefficient, by fitting the model to the experimental data. The model may also be used to calculate the optimum operating conditions and design parameters of such a reactor.