(485ac) Enzymatic Esterification of Oleic Acid and Waste Coconut Oil with Ethanol Using Immobilized Candida Antactica Lipase B

Biodiesel is a mixture of fatty acid alkyl esters produced by the reaction between vegetable oils and short chain alcohols, like methanol and ethanol, using a catalyst that can be acid, basic or enzymatic. However, the high cost of the raw material when refined vegetable oil is used, have made biodiesel production economically unattractive. Therefore, research with waste oils has increased, showing the technical viability of the production of biodiesel using the residential and industrial residues as raw material. Another variable that has influenced this type of reaction is the type of alcohol. In Brazil, the use of ethanol is interesting because the country has become one of the top worldwide producers of ethanol from vegetables sources, a cheaper and less toxic product than methanol, decreasing our petroleum dependence. The type of catalyst also influences biodiesel production. Alkali is the catalysts that is more often used in industry, but when the vegetable oil has a high acid value, it can not be used because soap is produced, diminishing the esters yield. In this case an acid or an enzyme is used as a catalyst. Therefore, the aim of this work was to the study of enzymatic production of biodiesel using waste oil and ethanol. The behavior of Candida Antarctica lipase B immobilized in chitosan was studied in acid oleic esterification. A slower initial rate of reaction was observed in comparison to Novozym 435. The behavior of both lipases was also studied in the esterification of waste coconut oil, showing good stability and giving a conversion of about 80% in 60 minutes. Both biocatalyst could be reused 10 times, keeping the same activity.