Preparation of immobilized whole cell biocatalyst and biodiesel production using a packed-bed bioreactor

Statistical Optimization for Cost-Effective Production of Yeast-Bacterium Cell-Bound Lipases Using Blended Oily Wastes and Their Potential Applications in Biodiesel Synthesis and Wastewater Bioremediation

Oily wastes have been widely used to produce lipases, but there is insufficient knowledge on their use to efficiently produce cell-bound lipases (CBLs). This research aimed to optimize yeast–bacterium CBLs production using blended oily wastes by statistical optimization and their potential applications in biodiesel production and wastewater bioremediation. The co-culture of Magnusiomyces spicifer AW2 and Staphylococcus hominis AUP19 produced CBLs as high as 4709 U/L with cell biomass of 23.4 g/L in a two-fold diluted palm oil mill effluent (POME) added by 2.08% (v/v) waste frying oil, 1.72.0% (w/v) ammonium sulfate, 0.1% (w/v) Gum Arabic as an emulsifier (initial pH at 7.0) within 24 h. The CBLs were successfully applied as whole-cell biocatalysts to produce biodiesel through esterification and transesterification with 76% and 87% yields, respectively. Direct application of CBLs for bioremediation of heat-treated various POME concentrations achieved 73.3% oil and grease removal and 73.6% COD removal within 3 days. This study has shown that the blended oily wastes medium was suitable for low-cost production of yeast–bacterium CBLs and their potential applications in solvent-free biodiesel production and wastewater bioremediation. These strategies may greatly contribute to economical green biofuel production and waste biotreatment.

Whole Cells as Biocatalysts in Organic Transformations

Currently, the power and usefulness of biocatalysis in organic synthesis is undeniable, mainly due to the very high enantiomeric excess reached using enzymes, in an attempt to emulate natural processes. However, the use of isolated enzymes has some significant drawbacks, the most important of which is cost. The use of whole cells has emerged as a useful strategy with several advantages over isolated enzymes; for this reason, modern research in this field is increasing, and various reports have been published recently. This review surveys the most recent developments in the enantioselective reduction of carbon-carbon double bonds and prochiral ketones and the oxidation of prochiral sulfides using whole cells as biocatalytic systems.