4-Nitrophenyl palmitate

4-Nitrophenyl palmitate is a chromogenic long-chain fatty acid ester substrate widely used in enzymology and biochemical research for the characterization of lipase activity (less esterase activity). Upon enzymatic hydrolysis, it releases 4-nitrophenol, which can be converted to p-nitrophenoxide under alkaline conditions and quantified spectrophotometrically by monitoring its absorbance at approximately 405 nm. Due to its hydrophobic palmitate chain, 4-nitrophenyl palmitate is particularly suitable for studying enzymes involved in the hydrolysis of long-chain lipid substrates, including microbial, pancreatic, and recombinant lipases. The cell-bound lipase has preference for 4-nitrophenyl palmitate as substrate than the extracellular lipase.