Biodiesel production by biocatalysis using alternative method for lipase immobilization in hydrogel

Abstract

The society has been looking for alternatives in order to stop the process of environmental destruction installed in the world, however, starting from last century, a new vision on the indiscriminate use of the environmental resources started to be discussed leading to the use of new technologies of production of cleaner fuel, as the biodiesel, produced from vegetable oils. The enzymatic processes are a production alternative, for they are methods with losses reduction and larger efficiency, presenting however, high production cost. With the objective of reducing costs and increasing the efficiency we have searched the enzymes immobilization through alternative method and to use them as biocatalysts in the biodiesel production. The immobilization of the lipase PS Amano was accomplished in spheres formed by the hydration of commercial hydrogel in aqueous solution containing the enzyme. With the immobilized enzyme it was accomplished the transesterification, in which it was obtained conversions in methyl esters of up to 70%, in organic solvent, with 24h, 55°C, 100 rpm and 40 hydrogel spheres with immobilized enzyme. The method comes as a promising alternative technology for the biodiesel obtaining.