Abstract
Lipase-catalyzed ethanolysis of triolein was studied as a model for biodiesel production. Four lipases were immobilized on porous polypropylene, and ethanolysis reactions were carried out in methyl t-butyl ether. The reaction products were analyzed using gas chromatography. Three of the four lipases studied were efficient in the conversion of triolein to 2-monoolein, but slow in the final step of producing glycerol. However, Candida antarctica lipase B was slow in the conversion of triolein, but more efficient in the subsequent two steps than the other lipases. The 1,3-selectivity of the lipases was less pronounced for the monooleins than for triolein. Silica gel was investigated as a catalyst for acyl migration, showing an increase in biodiesel yield with three of the lipases, but a reduction in yield when C. antarctica lipase B was used. The highest biodiesel yield (96 %) was obtained with a combination of Rhizopus arrhizus lipase and C. antarctica lipase B.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11746-014-2465-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Lipase-catalyzed transesterification between triacylglycerols and short-chain alcohols is an attractive way of producing fatty acid esters for various applications
Silica gel was investigated as a catalyst for acyl migration, showing an increase in biodiesel yield with three of the lipases, but a reduction in yield when C. antarctica lipase B was used
The amount of lipase on the support leading to saturation depends on the specific surface area available in the pores, and it is probable that 38 mg/g is close to the amount of lipase saturating this support [11, 12]
Summary
Lipase-catalyzed transesterification between triacylglycerols and short-chain alcohols is an attractive way of producing fatty acid esters for various applications. Many types of fats and oils can be used as raw materials [1], and large-scale production is currently carried out mainly as a chemically catalyzed alcoholysis reaction [2, 3]. Enzymatic alcoholysis is an interesting alternative and has been shown to be especially beneficial when raw materials rich in free fatty acids are used, since they can be used directly in the enzymatic process, while pretreatment of such substrates is needed prior to the corresponding chemical conversion [2]. Enzymatic biodiesel would be more competitive with the chemical alternative if the reactions occurring during enzymatic alcoholysis could be fully understood and optimized
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