BACKGROUND: This work aims to assess the use of protic ionic liquids (PIL), propanoate, butanoate and pentanoate of N-methylmonoetanolamine (C-3, C-4 and C-5), in the preparation of hybrid supports made of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate- co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and silica for the immobilization of lipase of Burkholderia cepacia (BCL) by covalent binding. For immobilized biocatalysts (IBs), the performance was determined for immobilization and characterization (pH, temperature, stability thermal, operational and in solvents), with the best conditions being defined. For the supports and efficient IB, themorphological and physicochemical characterization (MEV, BET, FTIR and TGA) was evaluated. RESULTS: For preparation of the hybrid support, the experiment using 3 g of PHBV presented a higher percentage of mass, around 50% recovery of the support in the granulometry used. The IBs total activity recovery yield (Ya) in hybrid supports modified with ionic liquids IB-hybrid-C-3 (103%), IB-hybrid-C-4 (120%) and IB-hybrid-C-5 (133%) were above the results reported for the control (90%), with IB-hybrid-C-5 being the most efficient, and presenting better thermal and operational stability. CONCLUSION: Burkholderia cepacia lipase was immobilized successfully in a hybrid support (PHBV and silica) modified with protic ionic liquid by covalent binding, resulting in an improvement in the morphological and physicochemical characteristics, and consequently with greater Ya and good thermal and operational stability. (C) 2016 Society of Chemical Industry