Recyclable Biocatalysts for High-yielding Production of Biodiesel from Grease

Technology Overview: Biodiesel which comprises of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) is traditionally produced from the base-catalyzed transesterification of triglycerides in vegetable oil with methanol but suffers from the high cost of vegetable oil. Low cost waste grease is an attractive feedstock but due to the high free fatty acid (FFA) content (>15 wt%) grease cannot be converted into biodiesel via base-catalysis. A possible solution to solve the problem is the use of biocatalysts to perform high-yielding transformation of both free fatty acids (FFA) and triglyceride from grease with methanol to FAMEs via a one-pot reaction (esterification/transesterification). Alternatively these catalysts can also be used to convert the high amount of FFA in grease to FAMEs via esterification with methanol as the efficient pretreatment step and the remaining triglyceride in grease can be easily converted to FAMEs via conventional base-catalysis. This invention relates to the use of recyclable biocatalysts (immobilized enzymes) for the production of FAMEs. The yield is very high the recycling of catalyst can be performed via a simple means of physical separation and the catalyst remains high productivity after > 11 cycles. Technology Features: 1) Low cost and high-yielding production of biodiesel from waste grease 2) Catalyst is simple to manufacture easy to recycle and stable to perform the reaction even after > 11 cycles 3) Raw materials are waste products and available at low price Applications: Biodiesel production from oil trap grease / brown grease Patent: Patent Pending Opportunity: ·Licensing ·Partnership for futher development