Conversion of sunflower oil to biodiesel by alcoholysis using immobilized lipase.

Transesterification reaction was performed using sunflower oil and short-chain alcohol by immobilized lipases in organic solvents. The fatty acid ester, which is the product of this reaction, can be used as a diesel fuel that does not produce sulfur oxide and minimize the soot particulate. Immobilized porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) and Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) showed the satisfactory activity in these reactions. Immobilization of lipases was carried out using inorganic absorbance Celit 545 particle as a carrier. Organic solvent like hexane in reactions was required when methanol and ethanol were used as alcoholic substrate. The reaction could be performed in absence of solvent when 1-propanol and 1-butanol were used as short-chain alcohol. The activities of immobilized lipases were highly increased in comparison with free lipases because its activity sites became more effective. Immobilized enzyme could be repeatedly used without difficult method of separation and the decrease in its activity was not largely observed.