Effects of Regioselectivity and Lipid Class Specificity of Lipases on Transesterification, Exemplified by Biodiesel Production

Dovile Sinkuniene, Patrick Adlercreutz

Research output: Contribution to journalLetter

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.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1283-1290
JournalJournal of the American Oil Chemists Society
Volume91
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2014

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Industrial Biotechnology

Free keywords

  • Biodiesel
  • Lipase
  • Transesterification
  • Alcoholysis
  • Acyl migration

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