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Inverted sugar syrup attained from sucrose hydrolysis using a membrane

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Article  in  Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Science · September 2010

DOI: 10.1590/S1984-82502010000300022

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 Article
Brazilian Journal of
Pharmaceutical Sciences
vol. 46, n. 3, jul./set., 2010

Inverted sugar syrup attained from sucrose hydrolysis using a

membrane reactor

Ester Junko Tomotani, Michele Vitolo*

Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo

Invertase, whether adsorbed on styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers or otherwise, was used for continuous
sucrose hydrolysis using a cell-type membrane reactor (CTMR), coupled with an ultra (UF-100kDa), or
a microfiltration (MF- pore diameter of 5 µm) membrane. In all tests, the pH (5.5), temperature (30 °C),
reaction volume (10 mL) and agitation (100 rpm) were set constant; whereas, variable parameters were:
feeding rate (0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 h-1), inlet sucrose concentration (2.5, 6.5, 50 and 100 mM) and enzyme/
resin ratio (1.64 mg or 3.28 mg of protein per 25, 50 or 100 mg of resin). The best result (yield of 100%,
steady-state duration over 20h and specific reaction rate over 243 x 10-3 mmol/h.mE) was obtained when
insoluble invertase (1.64 mg protein/100 mg resin) was used to convert 50 mM or 100 mM of sucrose
solution at 0.4 h-1 using a UF-CTMR.

Uniterms: Sucrose. Invert sugar. Membrane reactor.

Invertase, na forma adsorvida ou não em copolímeros de estireno-divinilbenzeno, foi usada para a

hidrólise contínua de sacarose utilizando um reator com membrana (RM), acoplado a uma membrana de
ultrafiltração (UF-100kDa), ou de microfiltração (MF - um diâmetro de poro de 5µm). Em todos os testes,
o pH (5,5), a temperatura (30°C), o volume reacional (10mL) e a agitação (100 rpm) foram mantidas
constantes; os parâmetros variados foram: a vazão de alimentação (0,4; 0,8 e 1,6 h-1), a concentração de
sacarose alimentada (2,5; 6,5; 50 e 100 mM) e a relação enzima/resina (1,64 mg ou 3,28 mg de proteína
por 25, 50 ou 100 mg de resina). O melhor resultado (um rendimento de 100%, um período de estado
estacionário acima de 20h e uma taxa de reação específica maior de 243 x 10-3 mmol/h.mE) foi obtido
quando a invertase insolúvel (1,64 mg de proteína/100 de mg resina) foi usado para converter 50 mM
ou 100 mM de solução de sacarose a 0,4 h-1 usando UF-RM.

Unitermos: Sacarose. Açúcar invertido. Reator com membrana.

INTRODUCTION such as, inverted sugar syrup, aspartame, high-fructose-

corn syrup, L-amino acids, lactose-free whey, and 6-amino
There is increasing interest in the applications of penicillanic acid have become commercially available
enzymes. Due to their advantages compared with conven- (Godfrey, West, 1996). Among these products, the hy-
tional chemical catalysts, enzymes´ selective and specific drolysis of sucrose to produce inverted syrup deserves
processes under very mild conditions allow the obtention special attention. It is used as a sweetener, carbon source
of products of commercial interest with less toxic and in fermentation processes, and as a raw material to obtain
pollutant effluents (Tomotani et al., 2005). The advent chemicals, such as glucose, fructose, gluconic acid, sorbi-
of immobilization technique in the 1960s represented a tol and oligosaccharides (Erzinger, Vitolo, 2006).
great step forward in enzyme technology, leading to the Sucrose hydrolysis can be carried out by using hydro-
re-utilization of the enzyme and the use of continuous chloric acid at 70-80oC or by using invertase (EC.3.2.1.26)
reactors. Therefore, new and/or more purified products, at 30-45oC and pH 4.6. The enzymatic catalysis thus requi-
res less energy than the acidic process. Another difference
*Correspondence: M. Vitolo. Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical must be considered, i.e., the acid inverted syrup has several
Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo. Av. undesirable by-products (furfural and hydroxymethylfur-
Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, B.16, 05508-900 - São Paulo - SP, Brazil. E-mail:
fural) – cyclic derivatives from glucose and fructose when
michenzi@usp.br
572 E. J. Tomotani, M. Vitolo

submitted to low pH and high temperature – which must be Quest International (São Paulo, SP, Brazil). One milliliter
removed from the final product before its commercializa- of original invertase solution corresponds to 120 units.
tion. In spite of the obligatory submission of the acid-attai- One Unit (U) is defined as the amount of invertase activity
ned syrup to a downstream procedure, the increase in the that results in one milligram of total reducing sugars (TRS)
overall process cost is compensated by the less expensive per minute from 200mM sucrose at initial concentration
hydrochloric acid used as a catalyst. Currently however, a at 37oC and pH 5.5 (Tomotani, Vitolo, 2005). The kinetic
concern over environmental spoilage as well as pollution constants, Vmax and KM, for the soluble invertase were
has led us to the search for alternatives to minimize these 0.0240 U/mL and 17.0 mM, respectively (Tomotani, Vi-
detrimental outcomes. Thereby, the application of invertase tolo, 2006). The Dowex® 1X4:200 resin and BSA (Bovine
becomes useful because it is available in the market, obtai- Serum Albumin) were purchased from Sigma Chemical
ned from baking and/or brewer’s yeasts – microorganisms Co. (St. Louis, MO, USA). The 100kDa-UF-membrane
fully accepted by the sanitation authorities all over the world (PLHK07610) and the MF-membrane (TMTP09030, pore
and widely applied by the food industry – and used as an diameter of 5 mm) made of regenerated cellulose were
analytical tool (biosensors) and in confectionary (Said, purchased from Millipore (Bedford, MA, USA). Other
Pietro, 2004). chemicals used were analytical grade.
Although the acid can be replaced by invertase for
the sucrose hydrolysis, it becomes costly to do so. Con- Methods
sequently, the use of immobilized invertase would be a
viably practical alternative (Said, Pietro, 2004). Standard procedure for immobilization
Among many methods for enzyme immobilization, Immobilizing invertase through adsorption on
adsorption on ionic resins (such as Dowex® resins) is one anionic-polystyrene beads (Dowex®-1X4:200 resin) was
of the most simple and suitable procedures (Tomotani, Vi- described elsewhere (Tomotani, Vitolo, 2004). An amount
tolo, 2004) - after the end of the reaction, both the enzyme of Dowex®-1X4:200 resin (25 mg, 50 mg or 100 mg),
and the support are easily recovered for further re-use. previously equilibrated for 24h in deionized water (pH
Another approach would be using a continuous 5.5; 32oC and agitation of 100 rpm), was mixed with 3
reactor such as a membrane reactor (MR). This device mL of invertase solution containing 1.64 mg or 3.28 mg of
can be formed either by coupling the stirred tank in series protein, and then the system was left for 4h at pH 5.5, 32oC
with a membrane filtration cassette (bi-module MR) or by and agitation of 100 rpm. The resin-invertase complex
placing the membrane at the bottom of the stirred vessel was then centrifuged (2880g, 30min), rinsed three times
(cell-type MR). It can operate with ultrafiltration or micro- with deionized water, and the final suspension stored at
filtration membrane depending on the form of the enzyme 4oC in deionized water. One milligram of resin-invertase
employed, i.e., soluble or immobilized, respectively. The complex (RIC) had a total activity of 3.6U. The activity of
type of membrane to be chosen could also depend on the immobilized invertase was measured by mixing 108 mL of
desired dilution rate to be used throughout the continuous sucrose solution (120g/L in 0.010M acetate buffer, pH 5.5)
reactor. The microfiltration membrane may be selected with 12 mL of an aqueous suspension of RIC. Hydrolysis
when a high dilution rate is preferred, as mentioned in was carried out for 6 min at 37oC under agitation (100
previous work (Tomotani, Vitolo, 2006). rpm), as previously described (Vitolo et al., 1995). One
In this study, invertase was immobilized in styrene- immobilized invertase unit was defined as the amount of
divinylbenzene copolymers – a class of anionic resins, total reducing sugars (mg) formed per minute under the
widely used in water desalinization and ion exchange test conditions. The kinetic constants, (Vmax)app and (KM)
chromatography (Tomotani, Vitolo, 2005) - for continuous app, for the immobilized invertase were 0.0450 U/mL and
sucrose hydrolysis. This procedure, which included both 18.3 mM, respectively (Tomotani, Vitolo, 2006). Under
soluble and immobilized invertase, was carried out in a cell- the conditions cited, the immobilization yield was 100%.
type MR coupled with an ultra or microfiltration membrane.
Membrane reactor
MATERIAL AND METHODS A 10mL cell-type MR (BIOENGINEERING ®
AG, Wald, Germany) was used in all tests. The reactor
Material consisted of a 316-L stainless steel cylinder whose bot-
tom has both an inlet and an outlet for the external water
Invertase (β-D-fructofuranosidase, EC.3.2.1.26), bath for temperature control. The diameter of the UF or
commercially known as Bioinvert®, was purchased from MF-membrane used was 63mm. The reactor can be ster-
Inverted sugar syrup attained from sucrose hydrolysis using a membrane reactor 573

ilized (autoclave up to 134oC for 30 min) and can resist performed – each done in duplicate – using the operational
high temperatures (up to 150oC) and corrosion by most conditions presented in Table 1.
substances (except strong acids, pH <1.0; and alkalis, pH
> 12.0). Moreover, it has a safety valve (set to nominal Y (%) = 0.95x[TRS] ÷ (S)0 (Eq.1)
six-bar pressure limit) and can be coupled to a dosing
pump, a pressure probe, a sterile filter, and a bubble trap r (mmol/h.mE) = (Q x [TRS]) ÷ mE (Eq.2)
(Tomotani, Vitolo, 2007).
Where: [S]0 = inlet sucrose concentration (mM);
Membrane-reactor tests [TRS] = outlet total reducing sugars concentration
Ten milliliters of buffered solution (0.01M acetic (mmol/L) ; Q = volumetric rate (L/h); mE = weight of
acid/acetate buffer, pH 5.5) containing soluble or immobi- protein (mg).
lized invertase, both at a total activity of 36U, was poured
into the MR, whose bottom was fitted with a 100kDa-UF- Analytical techniques
membrane or 5 mm-MF-membrane. The reactor was fed
continuously (feeding rates (D) of 0.4 h-1, 0.8 h-1 or 1.6 h-1) · Protein determination
with a sucrose solution (2.5 mM, 50 mM or 100 mM). The Protein was determined based on the difference
reaction was carried out for 25h at 30oC and at an agitation between UV absorbance measured at 215 nm and at 225
of 100 rpm. The concentration of TRS as well as soluble nm, using 0.1 mg/mL bovine serum albumin solution as a
protein was determined from the aliquot samples taken standard (Segel, 1976). To establish the standard curve, the
from the outlet solution. None of the tests performed pre- concentration of BSA was varied from 0.01 to 0.1 mg/mL.
sented protein leakage from the MR. The yield (Y) and
the specific reaction rate (r) were calculated according to · Measurement of total reducing sugars (TRS)
Eqs. (1) and (2), respectively. A total of thirteen tests were The TRS were measured by the conventional Somo-

TABLE I - Conditions under which all continuous experiments were conducted and their respective average conversion (Y), specific
reaction rate (r) and steady-state duration (tst) attained. The temperature (30oC) and agitation (100 rpm) were kept constant. In test
8 an MF-membrane (pore diameter of 5 µm) was used, whereas an UF-membrane (100 kDa) was used in all other tests.

TEST PROTEIN RESIN SUCROSE D r Y tst

(n.) (mg) (mg) (mM) (h-1) (mmol/h.mE)x103 (%) (h)
1(a) 1.64 - 2.5 1.6 49 100 25
2(a) 3.28 - 2.5 1.6 24 100 25
3 1.64 25 2.5 1.6 -(b) - -
4 1.64 50 2.5 1.6 - - -
5 3.28 25 2.5 1.6 - - -
6 3.28 50 2.5 1.6 24 100 10
7 1.64 100 2.5 1.6 36 95 20
8 1.64 100 2.5 1.6 50 100 25
9(c) 1.64 100 6.5 0.4 32 100 10
6.5 0.8 46 73 15
6.5 1.6 114 90 20
10 1.64 100 50 0.4 243 100 22
11 1.64 100 50 0.8 439 90 23
12 1.64 100 50 1.6 585 60 25
13 (d)
1.64 100 50 0.4 244 100 20
100 0.4 488 100 20
(a)
Tests in which the invertase was in soluble form. The continuous process occurred under an unsteady-state. An exploratory
(b) (c)

test for studying the effect of the dilution rate on r, Y and tst. (d) An exploratory test for studying the stability of the steady-state
against the increase of the inlet sucrose concentration.
574 E. J. Tomotani, M. Vitolo

gyi method, using a 0.2 mg/mL (w/v) glucose pA solution mE (test 12), and that unsteady-state regimes occurred in
as a standard (Arruda, Vitolo, 1999). To establish the tests 3, 4 (Figure 1) and test 5 (Figure 2). The yield of su-
standard curve, the concentration of glucose was varied crose hydrolysis was near 100% (Table 1) for tests in which
from 0.04 to 0.20 mg/mL. the reactor was fed with 2.5 mM sucrose solution and the
steady-state remained for at least 20 h (tests 1, 2, 7 and 8).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Out of tests 3-8, carried out with insoluble invertase, only 7
and 8 (RIC consisting of enzyme/resin ratio of 1.64 mg of
In a previous study (Tomotani, Vitolo, 2004), it was protein/100mg of resin) presented the best results in terms
shown that the Dowex-1X4-200 resin adsorbed invertase of the specific reaction rate, the yield and the steady-state
thoroughly. In the present study, resin-invertase complexes duration. Tests 7 and 8 also differed on the type of mem-
(RIC) were prepared by combining different amounts of brane coupled to the reactor, i.e., a 100-kDa-UF-membrane
invertase (1.64 mg and 3.28 mg, in terms of protein) and (test 7) and a 5µm-MF-membrane (test 8). Focusing on
resin (25, 50 and 100 mg), in order to verify their catalytic the values of specific reaction rates of both tests (Table
performance in a membrane reactor. The main results are 1), test 7 presented a reaction rate about 28% lower than
presented in Table 1 and Figures 1 and 2. that of test 8. This is in accordance with previous findings
In Table 1, it can be seen that the reaction rate varied of Tomotani, Vitolo (2007), in which the specific reaction
from 24x10-3 mmol/h.mE (tests 2 and 6) to 585x10-3mmol/h. rate for the test carried out with UF-membrane (reaction
conditions: 0.0164 mg protein/mg of resin; 30oC, pH 5.5,
100rpm, 2.5mM sucrose and 1.6h-1) was approximately
15% lower than that of the test done with MF-membrane
under the same conditions. The hindrance to the outlet flux
caused by the MF-membrane was probably lower than that
caused by the UF-membrane. However, this rate difference
could also result from the fact that different membranes
have different back-pressures, insofar as these experiments
were pump-driven. In the literature, the importance of this
result in the scaling-up of the process has been reported
where in contrast to the case of UF-membrane, by using the
MF-membrane, high outlet flux can be attained with low or
zero pressurization of the reactor (Tomotani, Vitolo, 2006).
FIGURE 1 - Variation in conversion during continuous sucrose Undoubtedly, the data presented in Table I – par-
hydrolysis catalyzed by soluble invertase [test 1 ( )] and ticularly tests 3-8, which differed on the enzyme/resin
immobilized invertase [test 3 (); test 4 () and test 8 ()]. In ratio – led to the conclusion that a compromise between
all tests, the protein loading was equal to 1.64 mg/mL. the amounts of enzyme and resin must be established (in
this case, 1.64 mg of protein/100mg of resin), considering
an optimized sucrose hydrolysis using a membrane reac-
tor. By using a certain enzyme/resin ratio, the continuous
process (through a membrane reactor, in the present case)
may or may not occur in a consistent steady-state regime
(Figure 1). In addition, the effect of enzyme to substrate
ratio on the specific reaction rate (r) and on the duration of
the steady-state regime can also be ascertained by compa-
ring tests 6 (3.28 mg of protein to 2.5mM sucrose) and 7
(1.64 mg of protein to 2.5mM sucrose) (Table I).
As shown in Table I, in tests 3, 4 and 7, the enzyme/
resin ratio was 1.64mg of protein to 25mg, 50mg and
100mg of resin, respectively. However, test 7 presented
FIGURE 2 - Variation in conversion during continuous sucrose the highest yield (95%) and reaction rate (36x10-3mmol/h.
hydrolysis catalyzed by soluble invertase [test 2 ( )] and mE) as well as a tst of 20h (Table I and Figure 1). No en-
immobilized invertase [test 5 () and test 6 ()]. In all tests, zyme leakage from the carrier was detected for any of
the protein loading was equal to 3.28 mg/mL. the enzyme/resin proportions studied (data not shown).
Inverted sugar syrup attained from sucrose hydrolysis using a membrane reactor 575

It can be concluded that a higher amount of the resin (in when the reactor was fed with a 50 mM sucrose solution,
this case 100mg) offered the most adequate surface area the yield diminished as the dilution rate increased. This
to accommodate the enzyme molecules. corroborates the data published by Tomotani, Vitolo
Specifically in the case of invertase – an enzyme (2007), which stated that in a cell-type-MR fed with sucro-
which presents a quaternary structure level constituted se solution at concentrations over 12.5mM, the yield and
by two inter-twisted glycoprotein chains held together by feeding rate were inversely correlated. This is a plausible
weak chemical bonds – the molecules, which are natural behavior considering that a high D implies low residence
dimmers, can aggregate forming more complex structures time, reducing the contact time between the enzyme and
(tetramers, hexamers and octamers) (Reddy, MacColl, substrate. This critical situation occurs when the inlet
Maley, 1990). It was also demonstrated that the aggrega- sucrose concentration is increased.
tes are in equilibrium in solution (dimmers D tetramers Regarding the specific reaction rate (r), Table 1
D hexamers D octamers), their catalytic activity and the (tests 9-12) shows that under fixed sucrose concentration
overall negative charge grow as the degree of aggregation (test 9: 6.5 mM, and tests 10-12: 50 mM) its value always
increases (Reddy, MacColl, Maley, 1990). Thereby, a high increased with D. For these tests, a four-fold increase
amount of resin implies more particles available to attach in D (from 0.4 h-1 to 1.6 h-1) led to an approximate 3.5-
high molecular weight aggregates (mainly, hexamers and (test 9) and 2.4- (tests 10-12) fold augmentation in the
octamers), resulting in more active resin/enzyme com- specific reaction rate. The high feeding rate leading to a
plexes. Conversely, high enzyme/resin ratio (over 0.0164 high specific reaction rate or vice-versa might be due to
mg of protein/mg of resin) would lead the octamers to the fact that the interaction invertase/sucrose was dimin-
imbricate on the surface of resin beads, resulting in a less ished by better removal of the products. This relationship
active invertase-DOWEX complex. could be indirectly explained by comparing tests 7 (Y =
The effects of substrate concentration and feeding 95% and r = 36x10‑3mmol/h.mE) and 8 (y = 100% and
rate (D) on sucrose hydrolysis by invertase conducted in r = 50x10-3 mmol/h.mE), in which the only difference
a membrane reactor were therefore focused on the best between them was the type of the membrane used (Table
selected enzyme/resin ratio. 1). The MF-membrane (test 8) has far larger pores than
In Figure 3, the feeding rate significantly affects the the UF-membrane (test 7). Therefore the microfiltration
yield of sucrose conversion, which oscillated between 70% membrane might cause less constraint on the mass flux
and 100% as D varied from 0.4 h-1 to 1.6 h-1. The steady- throughout the reactor, leading to the high conversion
state was always observed at different yield (Y) values. yield (100%) and increase in specific reaction rate (around
Such a response from a continuous reactor (particularly in 28%). Moreover, the improvement of the flux throughout
a membrane reactor) is a clear indication of its suitability the membrane reactor could also explain the high stabil-
for sucrose hydrolysis. A similar pattern was also obser- ity and equal duration (25h) of the steady-state observed
ved in tests 10-12, in which 50 mM sucrose solution was in test 1 (soluble invertase and UF-membrane) and test 8
hydrolyzed under the same D values (Table 1). However, (insoluble invertase and MF-membrane) (Table 1).
According to the previous argument, both feeding
rate and inlet substrate concentration are important param-
eters to optimize the operation of the membrane reactor.
Other factors which must be observed, i.e., temperature
and pH have been studied previously (Tomotani, Vitolo,
2007). Further evaluations of the membrane reactor at
highest values of feeding rate and sucrose concentration
must be assessed, if a future industrial application is to be
considered.
The following points represented the intrinsic limita-
tion of the membrane reactor used. The small operational
volume of the reactor restricts the use of D over 1.6 h-1.
The narrowness of the Teflon tubes may reduce the flow
of sucrose solution when its concentration increases due
FIGURE 3 - Variation in conversion during continuous sucrose
hydrolysis catalyzed by immobilized invertase for test 9: D = to its viscosity (sucrose solution over 100 mM).
0.4 h-1 (time interval: 0-10h); D = 0.8 h-1 (time interval: 11-30h) To clarify the perspective of the scale-up process,
and D = 1.6 h-1 (time interval: 31-50h). an exploratory assay was designed (test 13), in which the
576 E. J. Tomotani, M. Vitolo

inlet concentration of the sucrose solution was changed ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

from 50mM to 100mM (Figure 4). The feeding rate was
set at 0.4 h-1 (Table 1). Figure 4 shows a conversion yield This work was financially supported by FAPESP
of 100% and a steady-state for 20h. This occurred when (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São
the reactor was fed consecutively with a 50mM and a Paulo), Brazil. The authors would like to thank Philip
100mM sucrose solution. Although the results matched Barsanti for his invaluable and constructive assessment
those attained in tests 7, 8 and 10 (Table 1), the reaction of the manuscript.
rate increased about 50% as the inlet sucrose concentra-
tion was varied from 50mM to 100mM (Table 1). This REFERENCES
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TOMOTANI, E.J.; DAS NEVES, L.C.M.; VITOLO, M.
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Received for publication on 24th November 2009

Accepted for publication on 05th March 2010

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