Two phase enzymatic membrane reactor for the production of biodiesel from crude Eruca sativa oil

In the present study, a novel two-phase enzymatic membrane bioreactor (TP-EMR) was developed for the enzymatic biodiesel production from crude Eruca sativa oil. Commercial poly acrylonitrile (PAN) ultrafiltration membrane was examined with a molecular weight cut offs (MWCO) of 30 and 100 kilo Dalton (kDa). Using enzymatic membrane bioreactor with hydrophilic PAN membrane increased the yield of biodiesel production. In this regards, PAN membrane with a MWCO of 100 kDa gave the better results. The inactivation and inhibition effects of methanol and produced glycerol were reduced with the use of membrane bioreactor. It was found that by methanol feeding via aqueous phase, methanol has been penetrated across membrane pores to the organic phase. Afterwards, methanol has reacted with oil at the interface of the membrane at the presence of Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) as a biocatalyst. Produced glycerol, which surrounded the CRL, could be removed from organic phase and conveyed to the aqueous phase to reduce the inhibitory effect of glycerol on the activity of CRL The yield of about 100% from Eruca sativa oil was achieved in TP-EMR with PAN 100 and organic phase flow rate of 40 ml/min along with 40% initial water content in organic phase. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.