Biodiesel from crude veggie oils?

In Singapore, researchers at the A*STAR Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences have developed a two step biocatalytic process for biodiesel from crude oil feedstocks, instead of pure and refined feedstock oils.

Previous attempts at using enzymes found that when exposed to methanol droplets, the enzymes were deactivated.  Talukder found that by using two processes, he was able to avoid the problem.  The first step uses a lipase enzyme, candida rugosa.

The second step of the process uses both methanol and Novozym 435.  Because methanol is more soluble in fatty acids, the enzyme isn’t exposed to methanol droplets and therefore stays active.

According to Talukder, the methanol/fatty acid reaction is faster, moreover, the process can tolerate feedstocks regardless of the amount of free fatty acids and water.  For the next step, Talukderr states, “The lipase cost is one of the biggest challenges for the commercialization of the two-step process… A low-cost lipase preparation technique is under consideration to improve the economic value of the process.”