Biodiesel production from hybrid non-edible oil using bio-support beads immobilized with lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia

The main objective of this research was to check the feasibility of producing biodiesel from hybrid (Karanja and Castor) oil using bio-support beads immobilized with lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia. Karanja and Castor oil having an acid quantity of 14.71 mg KOH/g and 13.12 mg KOH/g, respectively, were added in equal amounts (50: 50%). The fatty acid composition of the hybrid oil contained palmitic (13.4%), linoleic (2.9%), oleic (44.5%), stearic (2.2%) and ricinoleic acid (35.3%). Under the optimized conditions of enzymatic transesterification conditions, i.e. 2-propanol to oil molar ratio -6: 1, time -24 h, enzyme (lipase) loading -10% (w/w) and temperature -50 +/- 1 degrees C, the biodiesel yield was similar to 78%. The reusability of immobilized lipase was tested for 12 cycles by taking 2-propanol as an acyl acceptor under standard conditions in the absence of solvent. After 9 cycles, the bio-support beads could retain up to similar to 52% of its initial biodiesel yield. Furthermore, the properties the produced biodiesel were estimated using ASTM D6751 and confirmed by H-1 NMR and FTIR analysis.