title: Optimization of enzymatic production of biodiesel from castor oil in organic solvent medium.
abstract: We studied the production of fatty acid ethyl esters from castor oil using n-hexane as solvent and two commercial lipases, Novozym 435 and Lipozyme IM, as catalysts. For this purpose, a Taguchi experimental design was adopted considering the following variables: temperature (35-65 degrees C), water (0-10 wt/wt%), and enzyme (5-20 wt/wt%) concentrations and oil-to-ethanol molar ratio (1:3 to 1:10). An empirical model was then built so as to assess the main and cross-variable effects on the reaction conversion and also to maximize biodiesel production for each enzyme. For the system containing Novozym 435 as catalyst the maximum conversion obtained was 81.4% at 65 degrees C, enzyme concentration of 20 wt/wt%, water concentration of 0 wt/wt%, and oil-to-ethanol molar ratio of 1:10. When the catalyst was Lipozyme IM, a conversion as high as 98% was obtained at 65 degrees C, enzyme concentration of 20 wt/wt%, water concentration of 0 wt/wt%, and oil-to-ethanol molar ratio of 1:3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Engineering, URI, Campus de Erechim, Av. Sete de Setembro, 1621-Erechim-RS, 99700-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Débora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Luccio
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Faccio
authors.forename: Clarissa Dalla
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: João Paulo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: Nádia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lipke
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Menoncin
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amroginski
authors.forename: José Vladimir
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000438:Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D002368:Castor Oil / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D002625:Chemistry, Organic / Q000379:methods*; D004952:Esters / Q000737:chemistry; D000431:Ethanol; D007700:Kinetics; D008049:Lipase / Q000737:chemistry; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010938:Plant Oils; D012997:Solvents; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D004952:Esters; D010938:Plant Oils; D012997:Solvents; D000431:Ethanol; D002368:Castor Oil; D008049:Lipase