Lipasa

REVIEW

Applications of Lipase
Neena N. Gandhi*
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON N2L 3G1, Canada

ABSTRACT: Lipases are endowed with a substrate specificity
that surpasses that of any other known enzyme. This confers on
these enzymes an application potential that is literally boundless.
Lipases can be employed in theproduction of pharmaceuticals,
cosmetics, leather, detergents, foods, perfumery, medical diagnostics, and other organic synthetic materials. This review attempts to
present a comprehensive discussion on the present status of this
unique group of enzymes in industry, as well as the actual potential. It represents an endeavor to provide a sincere answer to the
question, “What can be done with thisenzyme?” as well as, “Can
lipase be utilized for this purpose?” It is intended that the manuscript will cover or at least mention all known applications, based
on the exploitation of a particular type of reaction catalyzed by lipases. An attempt will be made to cover as large a number of references as possible, so as to further underline the importance and
significance of lipase action for industry.JAOCS 74, 621–634 (1997).
KEY WORDS: Applications, esterification, esters, hydrolysis,
lipases, transesterification.

Lipases (E.C. 3.1.1.3) are enzymes that are primarily responsible for the hydrolysis of acylglycerides. However, a number
of other low- and high-molecular weight esters, thiol esters,
amides, polyol/polyacid esters, etc. are accepted as substrates
by this unique group ofenzymes. The wide berth for employment in a variety of reactions, endowed by this broad substrate specificity, is further enlarged by the fact that lipases
are capable of catalyzing the reverse reaction of synthesis just
as efficiently. In fact, some lipases are better suited for synthesis than for hydrolysis applications!
The two main categories in which lipase-catalyzed reactions may be classifiedare as follows:
(i) Hydrolysis:
RCOOR′ + H2O ⇔ RCOOH + R′OH

[1]

(ii) Synthesis:
Reactions under this category can be further separated:
(a) Esterification
RCOOH + R′OH ⇔ RCOOR′ + H2O

[2]

(b) Interesterification
RCOOR′ + R′′COOR* ⇔ RCOOR*+ R′′COOR′

[3]

(c) Alcoholysis
RCOOR′ + R′′OH ⇔ RCOOR′′ + R′OH
*E-mail: nngandhi@chemical.watstar.uwaterloo.ca.
Copyright © 1997 by AOCSPress

[4]

(d) Acidolysis
RCOOR′ + R′′COOH ⇒ R′′COOR′ + RCOOH

[5]

The last three reactions are often grouped together into a single term, viz., transesterification.
Most applications where the potential for lipase is implicated
presently entail the modification and/or derivatization of fats and
oils and related substances by using classical chemical procedures.
For instance,medium-chain triglycerides are manufactured
by esterification of acid with glycerol at high temperatures
(200–250oC) and pressures and/or in the presence of an inorganic catalyst (1). This chemical reaction is tedious, nonselective and consumes a large amount of energy. The product obtained has to be purified further, by alkali washing, steam refining, molecular distillation, ultrafiltration, activatedcarbon
treatment, etc.
Another process of industrial importance is the hydrolysis of
vegetable oils, such as olive oil or coconut oil, to produce fatty
acids and glycerol, both of which find widespread applications,
especially in soaps and detergents, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals,
and food. The current procedure is physicochemical and involves pressures of 3000–5000 kN/m2 and temperatures of
250°Cor more. About 96–98% of the hydrolysis of fats takes
place in 2 h to yield a sweet water stream of 12% glycerol. The
resultant fatty acids are unusable as obtained and need to be redistilled to remove color and by-products. The process is energy-consuming and gives rise to a variety of undesirable side
reactions, such as polymerization of highly unsaturated fatty
acids and production of...