Enzymatic transesterification of waste vegetable oil to produce biodiesel

C G Lopresto; S Naccarato; L Albo; M G De Paola; S Chakraborty; S Curcio; V Calabrò

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.03.028

Enzymatic transesterification of waste vegetable oil to produce biodiesel

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2015 Nov:121:229-35. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.03.028. Epub 2015 Mar 30.

Authors

C G Lopresto¹, S Naccarato², L Albo³, M G De Paola³, S Chakraborty⁴, S Curcio⁴, V Calabrò⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (D.I.M.E.G.), University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy. Electronic address: catialopresto@gmail.com.
² Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (D.I.M.E.G.), University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy; Department of Informatics, Modeling, Electronics and Systems Engineering (D.I.M.E.S.), University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy.
³ Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (D.I.M.E.G.), University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy.
⁴ Department of Informatics, Modeling, Electronics and Systems Engineering (D.I.M.E.S.), University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy.

PMID: 25838070
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.03.028

Abstract

An experimental study on enzymatic transesterification was performed to produce biodiesel from waste vegetable oils. Lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia was covalently immobilized on a epoxy-acrylic resin support. The immobilized enzyme exhibited high catalytic specific surface and allowed an easy recovery, regeneration and reutilisation of biocatalyst. Waste vegetable oils - such as frying oils, considered not competitive with food applications and wastes to be treated - were used as a source of glycerides. Ethanol was used as a short chain alcohol and was added in three steps with the aim to reduce its inhibitory effect on lipase activity. The effect of biocatalyst/substrate feed mass ratios and the waste oil quality have been investigated in order to estimate the process performances. Biocatalyst recovery and reuse have been also studied with the aim to verify the stability of the biocatalyst for its application in industrial scale.

Keywords: Biodiesel; Enzymatic transesterification; Immobilized lipase; Waste vegetable oil.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biofuels*
Burkholderia cepacia / enzymology*
Catalysis
Enzymes, Immobilized*
Esterification
Ethanol / chemistry
Lipase / chemistry*
Plant Oils / chemistry*
Waste Management / methods*

Substances

Biofuels
Enzymes, Immobilized
Plant Oils
Ethanol
Lipase