Durda Vasic-Racki

Continuous production of L-tert-leucine in series of two enzyme membrane reactors

The L-tert-leucine synthesis was performed continuously in series of two enzyme-membrane reactors by reductive amination of trimethylpyruvate with leucine dehydrogenase. The necessary “native” cofactor NADH is regenerated with the aid of a second enzyme, formate dehydrogenase.Considering detailed kinetic studies of initial reaction rates under conditions relevant to the process a kinetic model was developed. The model shows that the overall reaction rate is strongly inhibited by the reaction product. The reactors models combine the mass balances and proposed kinetic equations. The model adequacy was verified by using it to simulate the experiments and by comparing experimental and computed conversion, space-time yield and enzyme consumption.The calculations for the three reactors types (batch, single CSTR and a cascade of two CSTRs in series) were compared. The results showed that a single CSTR is no favourable reactor configuration due to the very strong product inhibition. Space-time yield drops from 560 g litre−1 day−1 in a batch reactor to 110 g litre−1 day−1 in a single CSTR at the highest conversion of 98%. At the conversion of 95% the difference in biocatalyst costs between batch and two CSTR in series is negligible. Therefore the use of two enzyme membrane reactors in series was proposed.The modelling in this work shows that the optimisation of the quantity of the enzyme used results in a minimisation of the biocatalyst costs.

Modelling as a tool of enzyme reaction engineering for enzyme reactor development

Strategy of the development of model for enzyme reactor at laboratory scale with respect to the modelling of kinetics is presented. The recent literature on the mathematic modelling on enzyme reaction rate is emphasized.

Stability and Stabilisation of Doratomyces microsporus Keratinase

Thermal and pH stabilities of a new crude keratinase ( Doratomyces microsporus ) were investigated in the ranges of 20-40°C and pH 4-10, respectively. The stability test was followed by activity measurement on two different substrates: human stratum corneum and haemoglobin. Activity measurement lasted more than 100 h. The effect of calcium ions on enzyme stability was also studied. Crude keratinase was stabilised by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde (GA). The same characteristics were determined for Proteinase K, the commercial enzyme, for comparative purposes. Crude keratinase was most stable at pH 8 in Tris/HCl and borate buffers. The type of buffer used proved to have higher effect on crude keratinase stability than on Proteinase K. Both enzymes were most stable at 20°C. Keratinase stability rapidly decreased at 40°C while Proteinase K showed higher thermal stability. A 1 mM solution of Ca 2+ ions did not significantly influence enzyme stability, but 2.5% GA solution stabilised crude keratinase at 40°C reducing the k d value by about 50%. Crude and crosslinked crude keratinase were used for crude calf skin degradation. A mathematical model, based on Michaelis-Menten kinetics, was developed to describe the crude calf skin degradation in a batch reactor. Validation of the model showed that it could describe the process over a defined range of its conditions.