Abstract
Abstract This study describes the production of biodiesel via the enzymatic transesterification reaction, using waste cooking oil as a substrate. Lipases from Candida rugosa and Rhizomucor miehei were immobilised on polyhydroxybutyrate to serve as environment-friendly catalysts. This enzyme mixture yielded the highest biodiesel production. The optimum conditions for biodiesel production included a reaction temperature of 45 °C, 5% water content, 1% of mixed lipase (50% of each lipase), a methanol:oil ratio of 6:1, a 24-h reaction period, and a 250 rpm stirring speed, which resulted in the highest biodiesel yields (96.5%). This catalyst can be reused for more than six cycles, after which the lipase activity begins to decrease. The chemical and fuel properties such as the density at 15 °C, viscosity at 40 °C and cloud point of the resulting biodiesel were similar to those of other diesels/biodiesels and complied with international specifications (EN 14214 and ASTM D 6751).
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