Microbial lipase today occupies a place of
prominence among biocatalysts owing to their
ability to catalyze a wide variety of reactions in
aqueous and non aqueous media. In this study,
Aspergillus terreus showed high lipase production
in submerged culture (15.463 ± 0.39 U/mg).
The optimum conditions for lipase production by
A. terreus were pH range 7-9, a temperature of
30-45ºC for a period of 6 days and ionic strength
60 mM NaCl. Lipase production was also detected
when A. terreus was grown on different
hydrocarbons, olive oil or tween 80 but not on
sugars indicating that the enzyme is inducible by
hydrocarbons as well as oils. The kinetics studies
showed that the Km value for A. terreus was 8.12
μmol, the optimum pH for lipase activity was 6, the
optimum temperature was 30 ± 1ºC and lipase
activity could tolerate high levels of ionic strength;
however the fungal growth and lipase productivity
were very sensitive to increase ionic strength.