Optimization of isoamyl acetate production by using immobilized lipase from Mucor miehei by response surface methodology

Immobilized lipase from Mucor miehei was employed for the esterification of isoamyl alcohol with acetic acid in n-heptane solvent. The important process variables studied were enzyme/substrate (E/S) ratio, alcohol (acid) concentration, and incubation period. Based on Box-Behnken design of experiments, a second order response function was developed. The percentage esterification increased with both E/S ratio and time and decreased with alcohol (acid) concentration. The model indicated optimum conditions for maximum esterification ranging from 20 to 99.6% in the alcohol (acid) concentration range of 0.031 to 0.3 M for a range of E/S ratios 8.33 to 50 g/mol, which were in good agreement with the experimental yields. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.