Montiel Morte, María Claudia

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Montiel Morte, María Claudia

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Montiel Morte, María Claudia

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Universidad de Murcia. Departamento de Ingeniería Química

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Optimized enzymatic synthesis of the food additive polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) using Novozym® 435 in a solvent free system
(Elsevier, 2014-01-21) Ortega Requena, Salvadora; Bódalo-Santoyo, A.; Bastida Rodríguez, Josefa; Máximo, María Fuensanta; Montiel Morte, María Claudia; Gómez Gómez, María; Ingeniería Química; Facultad de Química
Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) is used as an emulsifier in the food industry, especially in chocolate coatings and chocolate bars. PGPR improves the characteristics of molten chocolate by reducing yield stress, facilitating the coating of confectionery pieces, while limiting the amount of cocoa butter involved. The enzymatic synthesis of PGPR catalyzed by lipases presents several advantages over chemical synthesis, including enzyme specificity and the mild conditions needed, thereby avoiding undesirable side-reactions and by-products. A novel process to synthesize PGPR using a biocatalyst, Novozym® 435, is presented. Novozym® 435 is appropriate for catalyzing both the reactions involved in this process. A PGPR fulfilling European specifications for this food additive as well as recommendations set out in the Food Chemical Codex, was obtained using a discontinuous vacuum reactor with a dry nitrogen flow. In addition, the biocatalyst reuse would decrease costs. Moreover, it was confirmed that the ability to obtain PGPR in a one-step reaction significantly shortens the time required.
Open Access
Modification of oligo-Ricinoleic Acid and its derivatives with 10-undecenoic acid via lipase-catalyzed esterification
(MDPI, 2012-04-17) Hayes, Douglas G.; Mannam, Vinay K.; Ye, Ran; Zhao, Haizhen; Ortega Requena, Salvadora; Montiel Morte, María Claudia; Ingeniería Química; Facultad de Química
Lipases were employed under solvent-free conditions to conjugate oligo-ricinoleic acid derivatives with 10-undecenoic acid, to incorporate a reactive terminal double bond into the resultant product. First, undecenoic acid was covalently attached to oligo-ricinoleic acid using immobilized Candida antarctica lipase (CAL) at a 30% yield. Thirty percent conversion also occurred for CAL-catalyzed esterification between undecenoic acid and biocatalytically-prepared polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR), with attachment of undecenoic acid occurring primarily at free hydroxyls of the polyglycerol moiety. The synthesis of oligo-ricinoleyl-, undecenoyl- structured triacylglycerols comprised two steps. The first step, the 1,3-selective lipase-catalyzed interesterification of castor oil with undecenoic acid, occurred successfully. The second step, the CAL-catalyzed reaction between ricinoleyl-, undecenoyl structured TAG and ricinoleic acid, yielded approximately 10% of the desired structured triacylglycerols (TAG); however, a significant portion of the ricinoleic acid underwent self-polymerization as a side-reaction. The employment of gel permeation chromatography, normal phase HPLC, NMR, and acid value measurements was effective for characterizing the reaction pathways and products that formed.
Open Access
Influence of the operating conditions on lipase-catalysed synthesis of ricinoleic acid estolides in solvent-free systems
(Elsevier, 2008-12-25) Bódalo, A.; Bastida Rodríguez, Josefa; Máximo, María Fuensanta; Montiel Morte, María Claudia; Murcia Almagro, María Dolores; Ortega Requena, Salvadora; Ingeniería Química
In this work, the synthesis of ricinoleic acid estolides, also named polyricinoleic acid (PR), in two different solvent-free reaction systems, catalysed by immobilised Candida rugosa lipase is described. First, the esterification was performed in an open air jacketed batch reactor and the influence of amount of enzyme, temperature and initial water content was tested. The best results were obtained when 5 g of soaked immobilised derivative was used as biocatalyst, and the reaction was carried out at 40 °C. It was observed that environmental relative humidity plays an important role in the enzymatic synthesis of ricinoleic acid estolides and, given that this parameter takes on a wide range of values depending on the season, it is considered the main cause of the poor reproducibility achieved in the open air reactor. To solve this problem, the ricinoleic acid estolides were synthesised under controlled atmosphere in a vacuum reactor with dry air intake. The optimum drying time of 7 h was selected. In these conditions, PR with an acid value of 57.5 mg KOH/g was synthesised in 48 h of reaction and the results were entirely reproducible.
Open Access
A review of guerbet alcohols and their esters: synthesis, applications, and future perspectives
(MDPI, 2025-11-14) Montiel Morte, María Claudia; Ortega Requena, Salvadora; Gómez Gómez, María; Murcia Almagro, María Dolores; Máximo, María Fuensanta; Bastida Rodríguez, Josefa; Ingeniería Química; Facultad de Química
Guerbet alcohol esters are compounds with specific properties that make them particularly suitable for use as cosmetic ingredients, plasticizers, or biolubricants. Guerbet alcohols are used for their synthesis. These are primary alcohols with beta branching and a lower melting point than their linear counterparts. Due to the branching, the products are liquid at lower temperatures, have good volatility, and exhibit better color and oxidation stability. This paper presents a systematic literature review on the synthesis and applications of Guerbet alcohol esters. Finally, emphasis is placed on the future of these synthesis processes, which could be based on the use of biocatalysts, thus promoting the application of new environmentally friendly procedures.
Open Access
Biocatalytic synthesis of polymeric esters used as emulsifiers
(Croatian Society of Chemical Engineers, 2019) Ortega Requena, Salvadora; Serrano-Arnaldos, M.; Montiel Morte, María Claudia; Máximo, María Fuensanta; Bastida Rodríguez, Josefa; Murcia Almagro, María Dolores; Ingeniería Química
Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) is a polymeric ester widely used as emulsifier in the food industry. In this work, PGPR biocatalytic synthesis was carried out in a onestep solvent-free enzymatic process using lipase CALB immobilized in Lewatit® Monoplus MP 64 by adsorption. The optimal immobilization conditions were determined: initial enzyme concentration of 13 mg of Lowry protein per mL phosphate buffer pH 7, and ricinoleic acid as a support activator. An immobilized derivative with 35.93 ± 4.90 mg of Lowry protein per g of dry support was obtained. It was used as a catalyst for PGPR production in open air and vacuum batch reactors, and the results obtained showed that only when the reaction equilibrium was shifted towards ester production by means of water removal, the PGPR produced fulfilled the European legislation (acid value ≤ 6 mg of KOH per g of product).
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Continuous tank reactors in series: an improved alternative in the removal of phenolic compounds with immobilized peroxidase
(Taylor and Francis Group, Taylor and Francis, 2012-01-24) Gómez Gómez, Elisa; Máximo, María Fuensanta; Montiel Morte, María Claudia; Gómez Gómez, María; Murcia Almagro, María Dolores; Ortega Requena, Salvadora; Ingeniería Química; Facultad de Química
Immobilized derivatives of soybean peroxidase, covalently bound to a glass support, were used in a continuous stirred tank reactor in series, in order to study the removal of two phenolic compounds: phenol and 4-chlorophenol. The use of two reactors in series, rather than one continuous tank, improved the removal efficiencies of phenol and 4-chlorophenol. The distribution of different amounts of enzyme between the two tanks showed that the relative distributions influenced the removal efficiency reached and the degree of the enzyme deactivation. The highest removal percentages were reached at the outlet of the second tank for a distribution of 50% of the enzyme in each tank. However, with a distribution of 75% in the first tank and 25% in the second, the elimination percentage in the second tank was slightly lower than in the previous case, and the effects of deactivation of the enzyme in the first tank were less pronounced. In all the distributions assayed it was observed that the first tank acts as a filter for the second one, which receives a feed with a smaller load of phenolic compounds, thus diminishing enzyme deactivation in the second tank.
Open Access
Comparative analysis of kinetic parameters of sustainable branched esters obtained from lauric acid
(American Chemical Society, 2026-02-03) Gómez Gómez, María; Murcia Almagro, María Dolores; Gómez Gómez, Elisa; Hidalgo Montesinos, Asunción María; Máximo, María Fuensanta; Montiel Morte, María Claudia; Ingeniería Química; Facultad de Química
A comparison between four esterification reaction systems to obtain new sustainable branched esters using Novozym 435 as a biocatalyst, the same acid (lauric acid), and four alcohols with different chain lengths and side chains (2-hexyl-1-decanol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, 2-butyl-1-octanol, and 3,7-dimethyl-1-octanol) has been carried out. The parameters of the reaction have been optimized in 0.5 g of biocatalyst, temperature of 70 °C, and the stoichiometric molar ratio (1:1). Under these conditions, conversion values of >90% are obtained in the four reactions. Using a kinetic model developed by the authors and based on a Bisubstrate Ping-Pong mechanism, where internal diffusional limitations are considered, the kinetic parameters for each reaction system were determined and the theoretical conversion values closely matched the experimental results, validating the model for this wide range of substrates. Attending at the conversion values obtained, where both the reaction rate and transport rate are considered, the esterification with 3,7-dimethyl-1-octanol leads to the highest average rate, followed by the reactions with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, 2-butyl-1-octanol, and, finally, 2-hexyl-1-decanol. In the first two systems, the ones with alcohols of shorter side chain and chain length, respectively, the kcat values are very high (49.526 and 90.13 Mh–1 g–1, respectively) and so is the reaction rate, leading to a high average rate. However, when 3,7-dimethyl-1-octanol is used, the conversion values decrease at long reaction times, due to the high volatility of this alcohol. In the reaction system with 2-butyl-1-octanol, there is mixed control of the reaction and transport stages with higher values of the effectiveness factor (above 0.5 in most cases). Finally, in the reaction with 2-hexyl-1-decanol, the alcohol with the longest chain length and side chain, and the highest molecular weight and viscosity, internal diffusional limitations are very high (with low values of the effectiveness factors as expected, around 0.2 for all conditions tested), and the reaction rate is quite low as well, which explains the low average rates obtained. The obtained branched esters are of interest in the biolubricant sector, and the kinetic parameters calculated in this study can be useful to allow simulation, further optimization, and scale up of the esterification process.
Open Access
Guerbet alcohols, ideal substrates for the sustainable production of branched esters
(MDPI, 2025-11-11) Montiel Morte, María Claudia; Máximo, María Fuensanta; Gómez Gómez, María; Murcia Almagro, María Dolores; Ortega Requena, Salvadora; Bastida Rodríguez, Josefa; Ingeniería Química; Facultad de Química
Saturated and branched high molecular weight organic esters are highly valued as emollients in the cosmetic industry due to their superior properties. Their saturated character provides resistance to oxidation and rancidity. Additionally, their branched structure endows them with low melting temperatures, enabling them to remain liquid over a broad temperature range. These esters can be obtained from branched alcohols, branched fatty acids or both, using chemical or enzymatic processes. Among branched alcohols, Guerbet alcohols stand out. Due to their characteristic properties as branched, saturated alcohols with superior oxidative stability and extremely low volatility, they are proposed as excellent substrates for the enzymatic synthesis of these compounds. This study represents the first investigation into the biocatalytic synthesis of three specific esters: those formed between 2-octyl-1-dodecanol (C20 Guerbet alcohol) and the fatty acids myristic (MA), palmitic (PA), and stearic acid (SA). To achieve this, an environmentally sustainable biocatalytic process was developed. The synthesis involves a solvent-free esterification catalyzed by the commercial immobilized lipase, Lipozyme® 435, conducted within a vertically stirred, thermostated batch tank reactor. Optimal conditions for lipase concentration and temperature were established, and the sustainability of the process was successfully quantified using various “green metrics”.
Open Access
Advanced oxidation of PET-derived monomers using excimer radiation and hydrogen peroxide: kinetic and operational insights
(MDPI, 2026-01-29) Gómez Gómez, María; Montiel Morte, María Claudia; Gómez Gómez, Elisa; Hidalgo Montesinos, Asunción María; Máximo, María Fuensanta; Murcia Almagro, María Dolores; Ingeniería Química; Facultades de la UMU::Facultad de Química
Growing environmental concern over plastic pollution has increased the need to address the persistence of PET-derived monomers, such as bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) and terephthalic acid (TPA). This work examines the use of excimer radiation lamps combined with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to enhance advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for their degradation. This approach stands out for its high selectivity, absence of mercury, and lower production of toxic byproducts. Experimental tests assessed how different operational factors affect pollutant degradation, such as the initial pollutant concentration (50–200 mg/L), the reaction volume (125–500 mL), and the H2O2:monomer mass ratio (0:1–6:1 for BHET and 0:1–4:1 for TPA). For BHET, the best results occurred with a 5:1 mass ratio, while TPA degraded optimally with a 3:1 ratio, with a 250 mL reaction volume and a 100 mg/L initial concentration for both compounds. Under these conditions, total degradation of the initial monomers was achieved in around 30 and 80 min for BHET and TPA, respectively, and at the end of the reaction, COD decreased by 46% and 32% relative to their initial values. In both cases, hydrogen peroxide was crucial since UV radiation alone led to much lower degradation efficiency. These results emphasize the need to optimize operational conditions for greater efficiency and establish a starting point for future use of excimer technology in the treatment of wastewater contaminated with PET and its derivatives. Additionally, the degradation data closely matched a pseudo-first-order kinetic model (R2 ≈ 1), confirming its reliability for predictive analysis, which is of high importance for the simulation and optimization of the process.
Open Access
Comparison of sulfamethoxazole removal efficiency using polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membrane modified by various methods
(MDPI, 2024-12-20) Hidalgo Montesinos, Asunción María; Murcia Almagro, María Dolores; Gómez Gómez, María; Collado-González, Mar; Montiel Morte, María Claudia; Martínez Morga, Marta; Martínez, Marta; Ingeniería Química ; Biología Celular e Histología
Nowadays, there is a growing interest in membrane modification processes to improve their characteristics and the effectiveness of their treatments and reduce the possible fouling. In this sense, in this work, a modification of an ultrafiltration membrane with three different materials has been carried out: reduced graphene oxide (rGO), chitosan and MgCl2. For both the native and the modified membranes, a study has been carried out to remove the emerging contaminant sulfamethoxazole (SMX). SEM and SEM-EDX analyses have been performed to confirm membrane surface modifications. In the characterisation of the membranes, it is noteworthy that the values of the permeability coefficient, Aw, have been lower in the modified membranes, which is unexpected. Regarding the pollutant removal tests, the influence of pressure and initial concentration on permeate flux and rejections has been studied. Native membrane shows the highest permeate flux values. Comparing the modified membranes, the highest rejection values are obtained with the rGO-modified membrane, which can be explained by its greater hydrophilic character. Finally, a fouling study was carried out, verifying that in almost all cases, fouling occurs after the passage of the pollutant due to the blockage of the membrane pores.