LAUSR

ABSTRACT The present communication deals with the production of lipase from Penicillium sp. using waste oils and palm cactus (Nopalea cochenillifera) especially as nutrient source of low cost. Two different waste oils were tested: waste frying oil from an industrial kitchen and waste lubricating oil (WLO) from a gas station. Using Doehlert experimental design and response surface methodology, the optimum conditions for lipase production were 96 h fermentation, WLO as the inductor, with specific activity of 0.22 UA mg−1. The enzyme was able to remain with more than 58% of its original activity until 30 min at 60°C. The kinetic constants were Km = 9.93 mM and Vmax = 2.58 UA min−1 using p-nitrophenyl palmitate (p-NPP) as substrate. Results showed that Penicillium sp. was able to produce lipase from waste oils using N. cochenillifera, thus having biotechnological potential in waste oil biotransformation.