Repeated use of whole-cell biocatalysts immobilized within biomass support particles for biodiesel fuel production

With a view to utilizing Rhizopus oryzae cells immobilized within biomass support particles (BSPs) as a whole-cell biocatalyst for biodiesel fuel production, an investigation was made of the effect of cross-linking treatment with glutaraldehyde (GA) on the stability of lipase activity. Although the lipase activity of the BSP-immobilized cells decreased considerably in the presence of the methyl esters produced by methanolysis, the activity of cells treated with 0.1% GA solution showed no significant decrease during six batch cycles, with the methyl ester content of the reaction mixture reaching 70–83% in each cycle. In contrast, without GA treatment, activity decreased gradually with each cycle to give a methyl ester content of only 50% at the sixth batch cycle. These findings indicate that, given the simplicity of the lipase production process and the long-term stability of lipase activity, the use of whole-cell biocatalysts immobilized within BSPs and treated with GA solution offers a promising means of biodiesel fuel production for industrial application.