Enzymatic Degumming of Arachidonic Acid Oil Using Immobilized Phospholipase A1 on Hollow Double-Layer Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

TL;DR

Researchers developed an efficient method to remove phosphorus from arachidonic acid oil using an immobilized enzyme, preserving oil quality and reducing environmental impact.

Contribution

First use of immobilized phospholipase A1 on mesoporous silica nanoparticles for degumming arachidonic acid oil.

Findings

Immobilized enzyme achieved 97.9% phosphorus removal, well below food-grade standards.

Degummed oil showed 42% improvement in oxidative stability and retained fatty acid composition.

The enzyme maintained 93% activity after 11 reuse cycles and worked across various crude oils.

Abstract

This study explores the application of immobilized phospholipase A1 (PLA1) on hollow double-layer mesoporous silica nanoparticles (PLA1@NH2/C8-HdlMS) for the degumming of crude arachidonic acid (ARA) oil for the first time. The immobilized enzyme was comprehensively characterized, and the reaction conditions were optimized via single-factor experiments. Under the optimized conditions (enzyme dosage 0.3% w/w, 35 °C, water addition 3%, and reaction time 90 min), PLA1@NH2/C8-HdlMS achieved a remarkable phosphorus removal rate of 97.9%, reducing the phosphorus content from 441.21 mg/kg to 9.29 mg/kg in 90 min (well below the food-grade standard of <10 mg/kg). The fatty acid composition of the oil remained almost unchanged, while the oxidative induction time of the degummed oil significantly improved by 42%. Notably, PLA1@NH2/C8-HdlMS demonstrated broad applicability across crude oils, with initial phosphorus contents ranging from 294.98 mg/kg to 537.44 mg/kg, and it maintained ~93% of its initial activity after 11 reuse cycles. Compared to traditional hydration degumming (with a phosphorus removal rate of 56.3%), this enzymatic method offers superior efficiency at lower temperatures, minimizing energy consumption and the thermal degradation of ARA. This green, efficient, and sustainable method for degumming heat-sensitive oils offers significant potential for the industrial application of high-quality functional oils by preserving PUFA integrity and reducing environmental impact.

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