title: Enzymatic synthesis of biodiesel via alcoholysis of palm oil.
abstract: The enzymatic alcoholysis of crude palm oil with methanol and ethanol was investigated using commercial immobilized lipases (Lipozyme RM IM, Lipozyme TL IM). The effect of alcohol (methanol or ethanol), molar ratio of alcohol to crude palm oil, and temperature on biodiesel production was determined. The best ethyl ester yield was about 25 wt.% and was obtained with ethanol/oil molar ratio of 3.0, temperature of 50 degrees C, enzyme concentration of 3.0 wt.%, and stepwise addition of the alcohol after 4 h of reaction. Experiments with 1 and 3 wt.% of KOH and 3 wt.% of MgO were carried out to compare their catalytic behavior with the enzymatic transesterification results. The commercial immobilized lipase, Lipozyme TL IM, showed the best catalytic performance.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Química, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, PHLC, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: André L F
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Matassoli
authors.forename: Igor N S
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Corrêa
authors.forename: Márcio F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Portilho
authors.forename: Cláudia O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Veloso
authors.forename: Marta A P
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Langone
mesh_terms: D004736:Energy-Generating Resources; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D008049:Lipase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D000073878:Palm Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010938:Plant Oils; D000431:Ethanol; D000073878:Palm Oil; C093666:Lipozyme; D008049:Lipase; D000432:Methanol