A Biofuel Similar to Biodiesel Obtained by Using a Lipase from Rhizopus oryzae, Optimized by Response Surface Methodology

Carlos Luna, Cristobal Verdugo, Enrique D. Sancho, Diego Luna, Juan Calero, Alejandro Posadillo, Felipa M. Bautista and Antonio A. Romero
Additional contact information
Carlos Luna: Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, Ed. Marie Curie,14014 Córdoba, Spain
Cristobal Verdugo: Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, IACT, CSIC-University of Granada, Avenida de las Palmeras 4, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
Enrique D. Sancho: Department of Microbiology, University of Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Ed. Severo Ochoa, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
Diego Luna: Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, Ed. Marie Curie,14014 Córdoba, Spain
Juan Calero: Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, Ed. Marie Curie,14014 Córdoba, Spain
Alejandro Posadillo: Seneca Green Catalyst S.L., Campus de Rabanales, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
Felipa M. Bautista: Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, Ed. Marie Curie,14014 Córdoba, Spain
Antonio A. Romero: Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, Ed. Marie Curie,14014 Córdoba, Spain

Energies, 2014, vol. 7, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: A new biodiesel-like biofuel is obtained by the enzymatic ethanolysis reaction of sunflower oil with ethanol, in free solvent media, by using BIOLIPASE-R, a multipurpose alimentary additive from Biocon ® -Spain that is a low cost lipase from a strain of Rhizopus oryzae . This biofuel is composed by two parts of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) and one of monoglyceride (MG), which in this form integrates glycerol, through the application of the 1,3-selective lipases. Thus, this process minimizes waste generation and maximizes the efficiency of the process because no residual glycerol is produced. Response surface methodology (RSM) is employed to evaluate the main reaction parameters (reaction temperature, oil/ethanol ratio and pH) on the sunflower oil conversion. Water content and amount of lipase were also previously investigated. Regarding the results, we found that it operates optimally with a water content of the reaction medium of 0.15%, 0.05%–0.1% lipase by weight relative to the weight of oil used, 20 °C, volume ratio (mL/mL) oil/ethanol 12/3.5 and pH 12 (by addition of 50 µL of 10 N NaOH solution). These results have proven a very good efficiency of the biocatalyst in the studied selective process.

Keywords: biodiesel; Rhizopus oryzae lipase (ROL); BIOLIPASE-R; selective transesterification; ethanolysis; ecodiesel; sunflower oil; glycerol (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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