In Situ Enzyme Entrapments in Macroporous Polymeric Organogels Using A Water-in-Oil Emulsion-Gelation Method for Reactions in Organic Media

Abstract

A macroporous polymeric organogel for the immobilization of enzymes was developed using a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion-gelation method. This method was used to simultaneously synthesize 2-ethylhexyl acrylate organogels and entrap lipase in randomly distributed, non-interconnected, sphere-like macropores that were several micrometers in diameter. The lipase immobilized within the macroporous organogel successfully catalyzed the transesterification of propylacetate and 1-pentanol and the esterification of oleic acid and alcohol (ethanol, 1-propanol, and 1-pentanol) in organic media and exhibited higher activity than free lipase.