Application of multi-component reaction for covalent immobilization of two lipases on aldehyde-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles; production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil

Fabrication of Nanomaterial-Immobilized Lipase Enables Robust Enzymatic Interesterification: Lipid Characteristics and Underlying Catalytic Mechanism

The precise regulation of enzyme conformation through the immobilization of enzymes on carriers using sewing techniques represents a key focus in the site-specific chemically modification engineering. Lipase-mediated enzymatic interesterification (EIE) is of considerable significance in lipid chemistry, having demonstrated substantial potential in the modification of lipids. In this study, we developed an innovative nanomaterial Fe3O4-SiO2-APTES for site-specific immobilization of Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL), achieving an immobilization yield of 51.98% and an enzyme loading capacity of 123.18 mg/g. The specific activity of the enzyme was 1034.09 U/g following lyophilization, representing increases of 2.6-fold compared to free TLL. The as-prepared biocatalyst TLL@Fe3O4-SiO2-APTES exhibited enhanced catalytic activity, remarkable tolerance to organic solvents, substrate selectivity, and recyclability over multiple cycles. Rice bran oils (RBO) and palm stearin (PS) were employed as substrates for EIE, yielding oils with better performance of solid fat content (SFC), crystallization rate, and thermodynamic properties compared to those of physical blending oils. Additionally, we investigated the catalytic mechanism of EIE using molecular docking analysis. The present study provides a theoretical foundation for the application of immobilized lipase as biocatalysts in food industrial settings. Practical Application: TLL@Fe3O4-SiO2-APTES, modified at specific sites using nanomaterials, not only enhances the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme but also facilitates its reuse across multiple batches. This fixed enzyme could effectively catalyze the transesterification between PS and RBO, resulting in high-quality of oils specifically designed for baking foods. The findings in this study provide valuable guidance for the green processing of oils and fats.

Immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) for biodiesel production from rapeseed oil; evaluation of the effect of immobilization protocol

The catalytic performance of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) immobilized on silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles was evaluated for biodiesel production via methanolysis of rapeseed oil. Two different covalent immobilization approaches were compared to assess the effect of immobilization protocols on lipase efficiency. The first approach involved immobilization of CALB on amine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), which targeted the Lys-rich regions of the enzyme. The second used epoxy-functionalized MNPs, enabling broader nucleophilic groups on the enzyme surface to participate in the coupling reaction. Immobilization of 20 mg of CALB on 1 g of each support resulted in 82 % and 86 % protein loading on the amine- and epoxy-functionalized MNPs, respectively, after 24 h of incubation. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize biodiesel production by analyzing the effects of parameters such as reaction temperature, time, t-butanol concentration, biocatalyst loading, and molecular sieve quantity on the yield of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). Out of 45 designed experiments, the maximum FAME yields were 92 % and 84 % for the epoxy- and amine-functionalized MNPs, respectively.

Advancements in enzyme immobilization on magnetic nanomaterials: toward sustainable industrial applications

Enzymes are widely used in biofuels, food, and pharmaceuticals. The immobilization of enzymes on solid supports, particularly magnetic nanomaterials, enhances their stability and catalytic activity. Magnetic nanomaterials are chosen for their versatility, large surface area, and superparamagnetic properties, which allow for easy separation and reuse in industrial processes. Researchers focus on the synthesis of appropriate nanomaterials tailored for specific purposes. Immobilization protocols are predefined and adapted to both enzymes and support requirements for optimal efficiency. This review provides a detailed exploration of the application of magnetic nanomaterials in enzyme immobilization protocols. It covers methods, challenges, advantages, and future perspectives, starting with general aspects of magnetic nanomaterials, their synthesis, and applications as matrices for solid enzyme stabilization. The discussion then delves into existing enzymatic immobilization methods on magnetic nanomaterials, highlighting advantages, challenges, and potential applications. Further sections explore the industrial use of various enzymes immobilized on these materials, the development of enzyme-based bioreactors, and prospects for these biocatalysts. In summary, this review provides a concise comparison of the use of magnetic nanomaterials for enzyme stabilization, highlighting potential industrial applications and contributing to manufacturing optimization.

Hyperactivation of lipases by immobilization on superhydrophobic graphene quantum dots inorganic hybrid nanoflower

Various nanoflowers are synthesized for enzyme immobilization. In order to increase the activity of nanoflowers, in this study, 3D flower-like structured organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers (hNFs) with various lipases Rhizomucor miehei lipase (RML), Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB), Humicola insolens lipase (HIL), Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL), Eversa® Transform 2.0 (ET) a genetically modified enzyme derived of TLL and graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were prepared and characterized.Lipase hNFs [lipase-(Cu/Co)3(PO4)2] and lipase@GQDs hNFs [lipase@GQDs-(Cu/Co)3(PO4)2] were straightforwardly prepared through mixing with metal ion (Cu2+or Co2+) aqueous solutions with or without GQDs. The ET@GQDs-(Cu)3(PO4)2 hNFs demonstrated 687 % higher activity than ET-(Cu)3(PO4)2 hNFs and 650 % higher activity than the free ET. Similar results were also observed with other lipase hybrid nanoflowers. For example, TLL@GQDs-(Cu)3(PO4)2 hNFs exhibited a 557 % higher activity than TLL-(Cu)3(PO4)2 hNFs and a 463 % higher activity than free TLL. Additionally, TLL@GQDs-(Co)3(PO4)2 hNFs showed a 141 % higher activity than TLL-(Co)3(PO4)2 hNFs and a 304 % higher activity than free TLL. Upon examining pH and thermal stability, it was revealed that lipase@GQDs hNFs exhibited higher activity compared to free lipase and other hNFs without GQDs. The effect of metal ions, enzyme concentrations and amount of GQDs on the morphology and enzyme activity of the lipase-hNFs was examined.

Recent applications and future prospects of magnetic biocatalysts

Magnetic biocatalysts combine magnetic properties with the catalytic activity of enzymes, achieving easy recovery and reuse in biotechnological processes. Lipases immobilized by magnetic nanoparticles dominate. This review covers an advanced bibliometric analysis and an overview of the area, elucidating research advances. Using WoS, 34,949 publications were analyzed and refined to 450. The prominent journals, countries, institutions, and authors that published the most were identified. The most cited articles showed research hotspots. The analysis of the themes and keywords identified five clusters and showed that the main field of research is associated with obtaining biofuels derived from different types of sustainable vegetable oils. The overview of magnetic biocatalysts showed that these materials are also employed in biosensors, photothermal therapy, environmental remediation, and medical applications. The industry shows a significant interest, with the number of patents increasing. Future studies should focus on immobilizing new lipases in unique materials with magnetic profiles, aiming to improve the efficiency for various biotechnological applications.

An upconversion biosensor based on inner filter effect for dual-role recognition of sulfadimethoxine in aquatic samples

Sulfadimethoxine (SDM) as an extensively employed veterinary drug causes potential threats to human health. Herein, a dual recognition mode novel upconversion fluorescence biosensor was designed based on inner filter effect (IFE) to sensitively and rapidly detect SDM in aquatic samples. Aldehyde-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were applied to recognize and capture SDM, followed by specifically bond with biotin-labeled aptamers. The upconversion nanoparticles and the colored products resulting from the enzyme-catalyzed oxidation of 3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine exhibited an IFE quenching process. Under the optimal condition, the results displayed the fluorescence intensity was correlated with the concentration of SDM within the range of 0.5-1000 ng⋅mL-1 achieving a low limit of detection of 0.13 ng⋅mL-1. The SDM detection system was further employed in the spiked aquatic samples with good recoveries (88.41-96.78 %). Consequently, the constructed fluorescence biosensor provided broad prospects for accuracy and rapid detection of SDM.

Engineering and application of polysaccharides and proteins-based nanobiocatalysts in the recovery of toxic metals, phosphorous, and ammonia from wastewater: A review

Global waste production is anticipated reach to 2.59 billion tons in 2030, thus accentuating issues of environmental pollution and health security. 37 % of waste is landfilled, 33 % is discharged or burned in open areas, and only 13.5 % is recycled, which makes waste management poorly efficient in the context of the circular economy. There is therefore a need for methods to recycle waste into valuable materials through resource recovery process. Progress in the field of recycling is strongly dependent on the development of efficient, stable, and reusable, yet inexpensive catalysts. In this case, a growing attention has been paid to development and application of nanobiocatalysts with promising features. The main purpose of this review paper is to: (i) introduce nanobiomaterials and describe their effective role in the preparation of functional nanobiocatalysts for the recourse recovery aims; (ii) provide production methods and the efficiency improvement of nanobaiocatalysts; (iii) give comprehensive description of valued resource recovery for reducing toxic chemicals from the contaminated environment; (iv) describe various technologies for the valued resource recovery; (v) state the limitation of the valued resource recovery; (vi) and finally economic importance and current scenario of nanobiocatalysts strategies applicable for the resource recovery processes.

A comprehensive review on nanocatalysts and nanobiocatalysts for biodiesel production in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil and USA

Biodiesel is an alternative to fossil-derived diesel with similar properties and several environmental benefits. Biodiesel production using conventional catalysts such as homogeneous, heterogeneous, or enzymatic catalysts faces a problem regarding catalysts deactivation after repeated reaction cycles. Heterogeneous nanocatalysts and nanobiocatalysts (enzymes) have shown better advantages due to higher activity, recyclability, larger surface area, and improved active sites. Despite a large number of studies on this subject, there are still challenges regarding its stability, recyclability, and scale-up processes for biodiesel production. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to review current modifications and role of nanocatalysts and nanobiocatalysts and also to observe effect of various parameters on biodiesel production. Nanocatalysts and nanobiocatalysts demonstrate long-term stability due to strong Brønsted-Lewis acidity, larger active spots and better accessibility leading to enhancethe biodiesel production. Incorporation of metal supporting positively contributes to shorten the reaction time and enhance the longer reusability. Furthermore, proper operating parameters play a vital role to optimize the biodiesel productivity in the commercial scale process due to higher conversion, yield and selectivity with the lower process cost. This article also analyses the relationship between different types of feedstocks towards the quality and quantity of biodiesel production. Crude palm oil is convinced as the most prospective and promising feedstock due to massive production, low cost, and easily available. It also evaluates key factors and technologies for biodiesel production in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, and the USA as the biggest biodiesel production supply.

Isocyanide-based multi-component reactions for carrier-free and carrier-bound covalent immobilization of enzymes

Strategies for the covalent immobilization of enzymes depend on the type of functional group selected to perform the coupling reaction, and on the relative importance of selectivity, loading capacity, immobilization time and activity/stability of the resulting immobilized preparation. However, no single strategy is applicable for all covalent immobilization methods or can meet all these criteria, exemplifying the challenge of introducing a versatile process broadly compatible with the residues on the surface of proteins and the functional groups of common linkers. Here, we describe the use of isocyanide-based multi-component reactions for the carrier-bound and carrier-free covalent immobilization of enzymes. Isocyanide-based multi-component reactions can accept a wide variety of functional groups such as epoxy, acid, amine and aldehyde, as well as many commercially available bi-functional linkers, and are therefore suitable for either covalent coupling of enzymes on a solid support or intermolecular cross-linking of enzymes. In this strategy, an isocyanide is directly added to the reaction medium, the enzyme supplies either the exposed amine or carboxylic acid groups, and the support (in carrier-bound immobilization) or the bi-functional cross-linking agent (in carrier-free immobilization) provides another reactive functional group. The protocol offers operational simplicity, high efficiency and a notable reduction in time over alternative strategies, and can be performed by users with expertise in chemistry or biology. The immobilization reactions typically require 1-24 h.

Biodiesel production in a magnetically fluidized bed reactor using whole-cell biocatalysts immobilized within ferroferric oxide-polyvinyl alcohol composite beads

Magnetic whole-cell biocatalysts (MWCBs) constructed by immobilizing Bacillus subtiliscells within ferroferric oxide-polyvinyl alcohol composite beads were developed and employed to transesterify waste frying oil to biodiesel in a magnetically fluidized bed reactor (MFBR). Effective variables including biocatalysts concentration, reactant flow rate, magnetic field intensity and temperature were evaluated to enhance the transesterification. By coupling MFBR with MWCBs, continuous biodiesel production was achieved. Response surface methodology and Box-Behnken design were employed to predict the optimal conditions and the maximum biodiesel yield reached 89.0 ± 0.6% after 48 h under the optimized conditions. Furthermore, MWCBs displayed satisfactory stability and reusability in MFBR and still maintained a biodiesel yield of more than 82.5% after 10 cycles. Lastly, the fuel properties of the obtained biodiesel met the ASTM and EN standards. The present study revealed that the route of producing biodiesel over MWCBs in the MFBR system showed great potential for industrialization.

A multi-component reaction for covalent immobilization of lipases on amine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles: production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil

A new approach was used for the immobilization of Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL), Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB), and Rhizomucor miehei lipase (RML) on amine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2) via a multi-component reaction route (using cyclohexyl isocyanide). The used method offered a single-step and very fast process for covalent attachment of the lipases under extremely mild reaction conditions (25 °C, water, and pH 7.0). Rapid and simple immobilization of 20 mg of RML, TLL, and CALB on 1 g of the support produced 100%, 98.5%, and 99.2% immobilization yields, respectively, after 2 h of incubation. The immobilized derivatives were then used for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil. Response surface methodology (RSM) in combination with central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was employed to evaluate and optimize the biodiesel production. The effect of some parameters such as catalyst amount, reaction temperature, methanol concentration, water content for TLL or water-adsorbent for RML and CALB, and ratio of t-butanol (wt%) were investigated on the fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) yield.

Impact of immobilization strategies on the activity and recyclability of lipases in nanomagnetic supports

The use of enzymes immobilized on nanomagnetic supports has produced surprising results in catalysis, mainly due to the increase in surface area and the potential for recovery and reuse. However, the meticulous control of the process and difficulties in reproducibility have made industrial-scale applications unfeasible. Furthermore, the role of conjugation strategies in the catalytic activity and recycling of catalysts is unclear. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the conjugation of enzymes on nanomagnetic supports through physical adsorption (naked) or covalent bonding with mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS) and aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) ligands. The free lipase obtained from Rhizomucor miehei was used as a model enzyme. Total protein and enzyme activity were determined using spectrophotometry (UV-Vis) and the p-nitrophenyl palmitate (p-NPP) hydrolysis method. The results indicated that a more significant enzyme surface loading does not always mean better immobilization success. The physical adsorption binding strategy had higher surface loading and low catalytic activity. On the other hand, covalent coupling with free NH2 had an excellent catalytic activity with very low surface loading. Finally, we show that recyclability can be improved with conjugation mediated by disulfide bonds. The findings presented here are essential for developing nanoconjugates with high enzymatic activity, which can guarantee the success of several industrial applications.

Optimization by Response Surface Methodology of Biodiesel Production from Podocarpus falcatus Oil as a Cameroonian Novel Nonedible Feedstock

The production of methyl esters (biodiesel) by the transesterification of Podocarpus falcatus oil (PFO) with methanol was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) using the Box-Behnken design. The effects of parameters such as temperature, reaction time, and alcohol/oil molar ratio using yield and viscosity as responses were investigated. The optimum conditions for the production of biodiesel were as follows: temperature at 65°C, reaction time of 180 min, and molar ratio of 10 : 1, while the minimum viscosity was obtained for a temperature of 50°C, a reaction time of 120 min, and a molar ratio of 10 : 1. Physicochemical characterization by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and UV visible spectroscopy showed that the free fatty acid (FFA) content of Podocarpus oil was 1.9%, which is less than the maximum of 2% recommended for the application of the one-step alkaline transesterification process. Also, the biodiesel obtained from the oil was seen to consist mainly of methyl esters, and that its physicochemical characteristics are within the standard set by the American Standard for Testing and Materials (ASTM).

Biodiesel Production from Waste Oils: A South African Outlook

The viability of large-scale biodiesel production ultimately boils down to its cost of commercialisation despite other very important factors such as the negative environmental and health effects caused by the direct combustion of fossil diesel. How much each country’s economy will be influenced by the production of biodiesel will be determined by the commitment of various stakeholders to the much-needed transition from petroleum-based resources to renewable resources. Biodiesel production is largely determined by the cost of the feedstock (>70%) and this review focuses on the use of waste oil resources as biodiesel feedstock with a special focus on waste cooking oil (WCO). Generating value from waste oil provides an alternative waste management route as well as a positive environmental and economic contribution. The transesterification process for biodiesel production, its catalysis and some important technical and economic aspects are covered in this communication with a special focus on the South African framework. An overview of the current research and its implications going forward is discussed.

Hydroxyapatite/Glycyrrhizin/Lithium-Based Metal-Organic Framework (HA/GL/Li-MOF) Nanocomposite as Support for Immobilization of Thermomyces lanuginosus Lipase

The hydroxyapatite/glycyrrhizin/lithium-based metal-organic framework (HA/GL/Li-MOF) nanocomposites were synthesized via the hydrothermal method in the presence of lecithin and glycyrrhizin. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were applied for characterization of the fabricated nanocomposites. The HA/GL/Li-MOF and Li-MOF nanocomposites were employed as support for immobilization of Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL). The Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken designs were used for screening and optimizing of variables affecting the immobilization conditions, respectively. The optimum specific activity of immobilized TLL on HA/GL/Li-MOF and Li-MOF nanocomposites (41.8 ± 1.2 U/mg and 39.4 ± 3.1 U/mg, respectively) was predictably determined at support concentration of 0.5 mg/mL, glutaraldehyde concentration of 5 mM, and enzyme activity of 20 U/mg, while the specific activities of TLL@ HA/GL/Li-MOF and TLL@Li-MOF were experimentally found to be 39.5 ± 3.7 U/mg and 38.5 ± 2.3 U/mg, respectively. The stability results showed that the TLL@ HA/GL/Li-MOF has suitable stability against pH and thermal denaturation. However, the immobilized TLL on Li-MOF represented lower stability compared with that of the HA/GL/Li-MOF. The immobilized TLL on HA/GL/Li-MOF maintained near 70% of its original activity after 15 days' storage and during 5 runs of application. In addition, TLL@HA/GL/Li-MOF exhibited higher enzyme-substrate affinity (K_m, 10.1 mM) compared to that of TLL@Li-MOF (K_m, 23.4 mM). Therefore, these findings demonstrated the potential use of HA/GL/Li-MOF nanocomposites for enzyme immobilization.

Immobilization of cellulase on magnetic nanoparticles for rice bran oil extraction in a magnetic fluidized bed

This paper presents a method for extracting rice bran oil using magnetic immobilized cellulase (MIC) in a magnetic fluidized bed (MFB). Cellulase was immobilized on Fe3O4/SiO x -g-P (glycydylmethacrylate) with an average grain size of 120 nm. The rice bran was hydrolyzed using MIC combined with magnetic immobilized alkaline protease to extract rice bran oil. Under intermittent conditions, the MIC concentration was 1.6 mg/g, the liquid to material ratio was 4:1, the enzymatic hydrolysis time was 150 min, and the oil yield was as high as 85.6 ± 1.20% at 55 °C. The fluid in the MFB had a magnetic field strength of 0.022 T, a flow velocity of 0.005 m/s, and an oil extraction rate of 90.3%. This provides a theoretical basis for the extraction of rice bran oil using the subsequent MFB hydroenzyme method.

Magnetic particles for enzyme immobilization: A versatile support for ligand screening

Enzyme inhibitors represent a substantial fraction of all small molecules currently in clinical use. Therefore, the early stage of drug-discovery process and development efforts are focused on the identification of new enzyme inhibitors through screening assays. The use of immobilized enzymes on solid supports to probe ligand-enzyme interactions have been employed with success not only to identify and characterize but also to isolate new ligands from complex mixtures. Between the available solid supports, magnetic particles have emerged as a promising support for enzyme immobilization due to the high superficial area, easy separation from the reaction medium and versatility. Particularly, the ligand fishing assay has been employed as a very useful tool to rapidly isolate bioactive compounds from complex mixtures, and hence the use of magnetic particles for enzyme immobilization has been widespread. Thus, this review provides a critical overview of the screening assays using immobilized enzymes on magnetic particles between 2006 and 2021.

Nanobiocatalysts for Biodiesel Synthesis through Transesterification—A Review

Converting useless feedstock into biodiesel by utilizing the process of transesterification has been regarded as an alternative approach recently used to address the fuel and energy resources shortage issues. Nanobiocatalysts (NBCs), containing the biological component of lipase enzyme immobilized on nanomaterials (NMs), have also been presented as an advanced catalyst to effectively carry out the process of transesterification with appreciable yields. This study highlights the fundamentals associated with NBCs and the transesterification reaction catalyzed by NBCs for summarizing present academic literature reported in this research domain in recent years. Classification of the NBCs with respect to the nature of NMs and immobilization methods of lipase enzyme is also provided for organizing the recently documented case studies. This review is designed to act as a guideline for the researchers aiming to explore this domain of biodiesel production via NBCs as well as for the scholars looking to expand on this field.

Improvement of biodiesel production from palm oil by co-immobilization of Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase and Candida antarctica lipase B: Optimization using response surface methodology

Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) and Thermomyces lanuginose lipase (TLL) were co-immobilized on epoxy functionalized silica gel via an isocyanide-based multicomponent reaction. The immobilization process was carried out in water (pH 7) at 25 °C, rapidly (3 h) resulting in high immobilization yields (100%) with a loading of 10 mg enzyme/g support. The immobilized preparations were used to produce biodiesel by transesterification of palm oil. In an optimization study, response surface methodology (RSM) and central composite rotatable design (CCRD) methods were used to study the effect of five independent factors including temperature, methanol to oil ratio, t-butanol concentration and CALB:TLL ratio on the yield of biodiesel production. The optimum combinations for the reaction were CALB:TLL ratio (2.1:1), t-butanol (45 wt%), temperature (47 °C), methanol: oil ratio (2.3). This resulted in a FAME yield of 94%, very close to the predicted value of 98%.

Optimization and techno-economic analysis of biodiesel production from Calophyllum inophyllum oil using heterogeneous nanocatalyst

The present research work is aimed at reducing the consumption of reactants by process optimization and economic analysis of large-scale commercial plant using techno-economic analysis. The statistical optimization of biodiesel production from Calophyllum inophyllum oil using Zn doped CaO nanocatalyst was used to optimize the conversion efficiency and green chemistry value. The environmental studies on transesterification reaction were done using green chemistry parameters like carbon efficiency, atom economy, reaction mass efficiency, stoichiometric factor and environmental factor. The biodiesel conversion 91.95% was achieved when maintaining the methanol to oil ratio 9.66:1, concentration of catalyst 5% (w/v), time 81.31 min and temperature 56.71 °C with green chemistry value of 0.873. Techno-economic analysis of biodiesel production from Calophyllum inophyllum oil was executed used optimized lab-scale data. The techno-economic analysis of 21 million kg/year biodiesel production plant was investigated. The annual biodiesel revenue of 15,224,000 $/yr and the payback period was about 1.15 years.

Entrapping Immobilisation of Lipase on Biocomposite Hydrogels toward for Biodiesel Production from Waste Frying Acid Oil

A new application of biocomposite hydrogels named gelatin-alginate (GA) and pectin alginate (PA) enables the use of the hydrogels as carriers for lipase entrapment during biodiesel production. Waste frying acid oil (WFAO), a raw material, was converted to biodiesel via an esterification reaction catalysed by two different immobilised biocatalysts: gelatin-alginate lipase (GAL) and pectin-alginate lipase (PAL). The highest immobilisation yield of GAL and PAL beads was achieved at 97.61% and 98.30%, respectively. Both of them gave biodiesel yields in the range of 75–78.33%. Furthermore, capability and reusability of biocatalysts were improved such that they could be reused up to 7 cycles. Moreover, the predicted biodiesel properties met the European biodiesel standard (EN14214). Interestingly, entrapped lipase on composite hydrogels can be used as an alternative catalyst choice for replacing the chemical catalyst during the biodiesel production.

Developments in the Use of Lipase Transesterification for Biodiesel Production from Animal Fat Waste

Biodiesel constitutes an attractive source of energy because it is renewable, biodegradable, and non-polluting. Up to 20% biodiesel can be blended with fossil diesel and is being produced and used in many countries. Animal fat waste represents nearly 6% of total feedstock used to produce biodiesel through alkaline catalysis transesterification after its pretreatment. Lipase transesterification has some advantages such as the need of mild conditions, absence of pretreatment, no soap formation, simple downstream purification process and generation of high quality biodiesel. A few companies are using liquid lipase formulations and, in some cases, immobilized lipases for industrial biodiesel production, but the efficiency of the process can be further improved. Recent developments on immobilization support materials such as nanoparticles and magnetic nanomaterials have demonstrated high efficiency and potential for industrial applications. This manuscript reviews the latest advances on lipase transesterification and key operational variables for an efficient biodiesel production from animal fat waste.

Soluble enzyme cross-linking via multi-component reactions: a new generation of cross-linked enzymes

Production of CLEs using a multi-component reaction.