Biomass-derived mesoporous silica for sustainable flavoring production using alternative technologies

Addressing the long-term environmental impact of chemical production has become a global challenge, emphasizing the need for sustainable and greener alternatives. In this study, a mesostructured silica was synthesized using a biomass-derived molding agent. The synthesized material was characterized by means of N2 adsorption and desorption isotherms, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). A heterogeneous biocatalyst was developed by immobilizing the lipase from Pseudomonas fluorescens onto the material, aiming to produce isoamyl acetate—a banana-flavored compound that is widely used in the flavoring industry—as a more sustainable alternative. The catalytic activity of the heterogeneous biocatalyst was evaluated in the transesterification of vinyl acetate with isoamyl alcohol at 40 °C in three systems: a thermosized orbital stirrer, a microwave reactor and ultrasound. The best performance was achieved with a material that was prepared with 96h of immobilization between the enzyme and support at 400 mg_enzyme/g_support, achieving conversion rates of 28 %, 28.5 % and 32.5 % at 2h of reaction in the three systems, respectively. Thus, compared to traditional mechanical agitation and microwave methods, ultrasound technology improves the process productivity significantly, being a powerful tool for improving a biocatalyst's performance in this type of reaction. This research highlights the robustness of lipases in esterification reactions, showcasing their ability to adapt to different reaction systems and laying the groundwork for future studies aimed at the more sustainable production of high-value-added products in fine chemistry.