Biodiesel Production by Thermomyces lanuginosus and Rhizomucor miehei Immobilised in Hydrophilic Polyurethane Foam

Sustainable process-product development & green chemistry

Sustainable & Clean Technologies-II: Energy Production (T1-5P)

Mr Nadir Dizge
Gebze Institute of Technology
Department of Environmental Engineering
Gebze Institute of Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, 41400, Istanbul yolu, Cayirova, Kocaeli/TURKEY
Turkey

MSc Derya Yuksel Koseoglu
Gebze Institute of Technology
Department of Environmental Engineering
Gebze Institute of Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, 41400, Istanbul Yolu, Cayirova, Kocaeli/TURKEY
Turkey

Mr Bulent Keskinler
Gebze Institute of Technology
Department of Environmental Engineering
Gebze Institute of Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, 41400, Istanbul Yolu, Cayirova, Kocaeli-TURKEY
Turkey

Keywords: polyurethane Foam,immobilization,vegetable oils,lipase,biodiesel production.

Biodiesel which is derived from vegetable oils and fats has considerable advantages in terms of environmental protection. It is a renewable, nontoxic and biodegradable fuel. There are many studies on biodiesel fuel production using enzyme catalysis by free or immobilized lipase. Immobilized lipase is suitable either continuous or non-continuous biodiesel fuel production, because its recovery from the reaction mixture is simple.
In the present study, lipases from Thermomyces lanuginosus and Rhizomucor miehei were immobilized by covalent binding in polyurethane foams to produce biodiesel using crude soya bean and sunflower oils. Polyurethane foam was selected to immobilization, because it has got many advantages. The immobilization method is easy, matrix structure is firm and it has fitting pore size. Polyurethane foam was cutted 0.5 cm x 0.5 cm and established in a completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR). Methanol was added three steps in the reaction medium. Matrix was washed from time to time t-buthanol and glycerol was removed on the matrix. The immobilization yield which is measured by Bradford was obtained 53%. The alcoholysis reactions were carried out in a 100 mL-shake flask and heated to 40oC. The compositions of reaction mixtures were 46 g of oil and 5.94 g methanol. The immobilized lipase in the polyurethane foams proved to be stable after even 10 reused and lost little activity when was subjected to repeated use. The free glycerol and residual mono-, di- and triglyceride contents and ester contents of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) was determined by DIN EN 14105 and DIN EN 14103 methods, respectively.

Presented Monday 17, 13:30 to 15:00, in session Sustainable & Clean technologies - II: Energy Production (T1-5P).