Production of lipolytic enzymes in batch cultures of Ophiostoma piceae.

After an extensive fungal screening, an Ophiostoma piceae strain was selected for its ability to produce high concentrations of lipase and esterase to remove pitch components of wood pulp. Optimal conditions for growth and enzyme production were established first in shaken flasks. A medium containing rapeseed oil and mycological peptone resulted in a lipase activity of 736 U dm−3 and an esterase activity of 1569 U dm−3. When fermentation runs were implemented using the same medium under controlled conditions in 2-dm3 fermenters, the lipase and esterase activities were increased to 1005 and 4006 U dm−3 respectively. Further scale-up was carried out in two stages to 20 dm3 and 72 dm3 (pilot-scale) stirred tank reactors. The results proved that the cultures could be scaled-up successfully from shaken flasks to pilot-scale with increases of 47% and 146% in lipase and esterase activities respectively.