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Trans Bio-diesel Ltd.

Muhammad Kaiyal

Sobhi Basheer

Maisa Haj

Disclosed is an enzymatic process for the preparation of fatty acid alkyl esters, particularly fatty acids methyl esters (biodiesel) in a solvent-free microaqueous system, from a fatty acid source and an alcohol or alcohol donor, employing a robust lipase preparation that comprises at least two lipases separately or jointly immobilized on a suitable support, where one of the lipases has increased affinity to partial glycerides, another is sn-1,3 positional specific, and an optional third lipase has high selectivity towards sn-2 position of the glycerol backbone of the fatty acid source.

Robust multi-enzyme preparation for the synthesis of fatty acid alkyl esters

A process for the preparation of short-chain alkyl esters of fatty acids, preferably fatty acid methyl esters (biodiesel) in solvent-free system is disclosed. In particular, the process comprises (a) providing a fatty acid source, (b) stepwise adding a short-chain free alcohol, preferably methanol, or any other alcohol donor, to said fatty acid source in the presence of a lipase preparation and (c) allowing the reaction to proceed under suitable conditions, until said fatty acid source triglycerides are converted to fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). The lipase preparation comprises at least two lipases. The two lipases being separately or jointly immobilized on a suitable support and wherein at least one of the lipases has increased affinity for partial glycerides and at least one of the lipases is sn-1,3 positional specific.

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Maker, Israel

Muhammad Kaiyal