(229b) Optimization and Scale-up of Biodiesel Production Using Lipase Immobilized on Magnetic Nanoparticles

Biodiesel production using immobilized lipase is becoming a more promising process. Lipase as a biocatalyst has several advantages over traditional base-catalyzed biodiesel production such as mild operating conditions and the option to use waste cooking oil as raw material. The performance of immobilized lipase is mostly determined by the supporting material and the method of immobilization. Lipase has been successfully immobilized on many different carriers and used in biodiesel production to test its catalytic activity and reusability. This work will focus on biodiesel produced from lipase immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles. Lipase immobilized on magnetic supports have the advantage of being recovered from a reactor by simply applying a magnetic field to the reaction slurry, eliminating the need for tedious separation procedures. This makes magnetic biocatalysts an appealing choice for industrial-scale biodiesel production from lipase. The aim of this work was to design and optimize a biodiesel production plant that uses lipase immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles, then evaluate the economic feasibility of the process.