Enzymatic synthesis of biodiesel

Lipases offer interesting perspectives as biocatalysts for the biodiesel synthesis, though their application is still limited by the poor stability of the enzyme at the operating conditions of industrial interest. In order to overcome this bottleneck, the inactivating effect of specific components of the methanolysis reacting system has been characterised, to develop a rational stabilization strategy. The experimental results have shown that the inactivating effect of the methanol can be avoided using long-chain alcohols as acyl acceptors, whereas the effect of glycerol is associated with diffusional limitations within the solid support used for the enzyme immobilisation.