LAUSR

Lipase was extracted from germinating seeds of Helianthus annus (Sunflower), Zea mays (Maize), and Brassica compastris (Mustard). The lipolytic activity was assessed using olive oil as substrate at different germination‐time and the maximum‐activity was obtained after 120 hr. Partial‐purification was executed by precipitating the seed‐homogenate with varying concentration of ammonium sulfate solution. 80% ammonium sulfate solution showed maximum lipase activity of 5320IUml−1, 3500IUml−1, 3080IUml−1 with 9.6, 6.9, and 4.8‐fold purification and total protein content of 162, 84, and 60 mg for partially purified enzyme extracts namely SN5, BN5, and MN5, respectively. The optimum temperature and pH observed for hydrolysis of olive oil were 37°C, and 8.0 respectively. Enzyme was found to be stable upto 6 days at 4°C and its activity was stimulated by Ca+2ions. Oil‐stains removal from cotton fabric was observed to be superior in the presence of lipase and detergent. Moreover, the SN5, BN5, and MN5 lipase increased free fatty acid release upto 4.2, 4.3, and 3.8 mg, respectively than wastewater without treatment of lipase (0.21 mg) and promoted fat hydrolysis to approximately 40, 42, and 48% mass reduction after 6 hr incubation of fat particle at a concentration of 20 mg/ml. Biodiesel produced by catalyzing transesterification of vegetable oil with SN5, BN5, and MN5 lipase provided an acid value of 0.8, 1.08, and 0.5 mg/g, viscosity 5.50, 5.7, and 5.53 mm2/s and density 0.87, 0.88, and 0.79 g/ml, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, no such study has been conducted prior on lipase from the seeds mentioned above in Azad Kashmir region.