Lipase supported on granular activated carbon and activated carbon cloth as a catalyst in the synthesis of biodiesel fuel

• Published in: Journal of molecular catalysis. B, Enzymatic Vol. 66; no. 1; pp. 166 - 171
• Main Authors: Naranjo, Juan Camilo, Córdoba, Andrés, Giraldo, Liliana, García, Vanessa S., Moreno-Piraján, Juan Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-09-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Activated carbon cloth; Bioconversions. Hemisynthesis; Biodiesel fuel; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Enzymes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Granular activated carbon; Lipase; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Enzymes; Granular activated carbon; Activated carbon cloth; Lipase; Biodiesel fuel; Support; Enzyme; Triacylglycerol lipase; Esterases; Biofuel; Biodiesel; Carboxylic ester hydrolases; Activated carbon; Hydrolases; Catalyst
• ISSN: 1381-1177; 1873-3158
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molcatb.2010.05.002

Fatty acid esters (biodiesel) were produced from the enzymatic transesterification of palm oil with methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol and 1-butanol. Isopropanol and isobutanol were also studied.
Candida antarctica B lipase was immobilized on granular activated carbon (ACG-E) and activated carbon cloth (ACC-E) and used as a catalyst (biocatalyst). In the conversion of palm oil to alkyl esters using granular activated carbon as a support, isobutanol gave the highest conversion of 100%, isopropanol 86%, 1-butanol 77%, 1-propanol 68% and ethanol 57%, while only 48% methyl ester was observed with methanol. With activated carbon cloth used to support the enzyme, isobutanol gave the highest conversion of 82%, isobutanol 72%, isopropanol 59%, 1-butanol 45% and propanol 40%, while only 28% methyl ester was observed with methanol.