CONDITIONS FOR THE ENZIMATIC TRANSESTERIFICATION OF JATROPHA CURCAS OIL WITH FERMENTED SOLID

Abstract

Introduction:
The main drawback of enzymatic biodiesel production is biocatalyst high prices. Fermented solids with lipase activity use mitigates costs, but being a set of lipase enzymes, the best reaction conditions are unknown.
Objective:
To determine the best conditions for particle size, stirring speed and ethanol / oil molar ratio, for the reaction to produce ethyl esters, using Jatropha curcas oil and ethanol as substrates and, as a biocatalyst, a fermented solid with activity lipase.
Materials and Methods:
Two biocatalysts were initially contrasted. The stirring speed, the particle size and the alcohol / oil molar ratio were studied in the transesterification reaction. The reaction products were measured by high performance thin layer chromatography.
Results and Discussion:
Rhizopus homothallicus fermented solid was selected as biocatalyst, with an activity of 75.39 IU gMS-1 and a high productivity of 4.19 IU gMS-1 h-1. It was established that the diffusional mass transfer resistances were minimized, using 200 rpm and a particle sizes range of 0.149 to 0.297 mm. It was found that for 3:1 and 4:1 molar ratio, there are no significant differences in conversion degree, reaching 77.69 % of conversion. However, for 6:1 ratio, the conversion was affected, due to enzyme inhibition processes.
Conclusions:
It was considered that used biocatalyzer under the established reaction conditions has a good potential to be used in biodiesel synthesis.