Lipase from Candida antarctica was entrap-immobilized in cellulose acetate-zirconium butoxide gel fiber by the sol-gel process. Synthesis of citronellyl acetate catalyzed by the fiber-immobilized lipase was studied in hexane solution. Conversion reached 70% for citronellyl acetate after 150h, and this value was close to those of native lipase, although the reaction rate was decreased by immobilization. The activity of the immobilized lipase was decreased to about 1⁄10 that of native lipase, however the fiber-immobilized lipase retained a high level of activity after 8 repeated uses, and almost no enzyme leakage from fiber was observed. It was considered that the esterification occurred in the neighborhood of the fiber surface.
