Lipase is a key enzyme in the carboxylester hydrolase family. It hydrolyzes triglycerides into glycerol and free fatty acids via an acyl-enzyme intermediate mechanism, featuring typical interfacial activation with a serine active site.
Besides triglycerides, it also acts on phospholipids, cholesterol esters and wax esters. Thanks to broad substrate specificity, lipase is widely used to process various raw oils for biodiesel production.
Main classification of lipases
Liquid lipase is directly derived from microbial fermentation broth. It features high catalytic activity yet relatively low stability, requiring cryogenic storage. It is widely applied in food oil modification such as palm oil fractionation, as well as in detergents to improve dirt removal performance.
Powdered lipase is prepared by spray drying or freeze drying. It features easy transportation and storage, with an activity retention rate above 90%. Widely used in feed additives, it can improve animals’ fat digestion and absorption efficiency by 15–20%.
Immobilized lipase is fixed onto carriers like silica gel and resin via covalent bonding, adsorption or embedding, and can be recycled for repeated use. In biodiesel production, it achieves a conversion rate up to 96%, effectively lowering overall production costs.
