Modeling,simulation,and kinetic studies of solvent-free biosynthesis of benzyl acetate

Solvent-free biosynthesis of benzyl acetate through immobilized lipase-mediated transesterification has been modeled and optimized through statistical integrated artificial intelligence approach. a nonlinear response surface model has been successfully developed based on central composite design with transesterification variables,namely,molarity of alcohol,reaction time,temperature,and immobilized lipase amount as input variables and molar conversion (%) as an output variable. statistical integrated genetic algorithm optimization approach results in an optimized molar conversion of 96.32% with the predicted transesterification variables of 0.47 m alcohol molarity in a reaction time of 13.1 h,at 37.5°c using 13.31 u of immobilized lipase. immobilized lipase withstands more than 98% relative activity up to 6 recycles and maintains 50% relative activity until 12 recycles. the kinetic constants of benzyl acetate,namely,k m and v m a x were found to be 310 mm and 0.10 mmol h-1 g-1,respectively. © 2013 vijay kumar garlapati et al.