Biocatalysts Based on Bacterial Strain Cells with Amidase Activity for Synthesis of Acrylic Acid from Acrylamide

A biocatalytic process for synthesis of acrylic acid was studied in the presence of Rhodococcus erythropolis 4-1 and Alcaligenes faecalis 2 strains with the pronounced amidase activity. The optimal pH of the process was 6–7 for R. erythropolis 4-1 and 7–7.5 for A. faecalis 2, optimal temperature 20–50 °C for both strains, optimal concentration of acrylamide 150 mM for R. erythropolis 4-1 and 250 mM for A. faecalis 2. At the stepwise addition of the substrate, the synthesis was more effective with A. faecalis 2 than with R. erythropolis 4-1. Freezing at –20 °C was shown preferable for storing the biocatalysts. The amidase activity of both humid and dry stored A. faecalis 2 cells immobilized on activated glutaric aldehyde and non-activated chitosan was not decreased.