Wet in situ transesterification of microalgae using ethyl acetate as a co-solvent and reactant

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 230; pp. 8 - 14
• Main Authors: Park, Jeongseok, Kim, Bora, Chang, Yong Keun, Lee, Jae W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2017
• Subjects: Acetates - pharmacology; Acetic Acid - analysis; Acids - pharmacology; Analysis of Variance; Biodiesel; Biofuels; Catalysis; Chloroform - pharmacology; Esterification - drug effects; Esters - analysis; Ethanol - pharmacology; Ethyl acetate; Humidity; Microalgae; Microalgae - drug effects; Microalgae - metabolism; Response surface methodology; Solvents - pharmacology; Wet in situ transesterification; Ethyl acetate; Microalgae; Response surface methodology; Wet in situ transesterification; Biodiesel
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.01.027

•EtOAC is firstly used as a single reactant and co-solvent for in situ transesterification.•EtOAC hydrolysis yields the EtOH/EtOAC system without using a co-solvent.•EtOAC provides higher FAEE yield and saccharification than EtOH/chloroform.•97.8% FAEE yield occurs at 113.6°C with 4.06M H2SO4 and 6.67ml EtOAC/g dried algae. This study addresses wet in situ transesterification of microalgae for the production of biodiesel by introducing ethyl acetate as both reactant and co-solvent. Ethyl acetate and acid catalyst are mixed with wet microalgae in one pot and the mixture is heated for simultaneous lipid extraction and transesterification. As a single reactant and co-solvent, ethyl acetate can provide higher FAEE yield and more saccharification of carbohydrates than the case of binary ethanol and chloroform as a reactant and a co-solvent. The optimal yield was 97.8wt% at 114°C and 4.06M catalyst with 6.67mlEtOAC/g dried algae based on experimental results and response surface methodology (RSM). This wet in situ transesterification of microalgae using ethyl acetate doesn’t require an additional co-solvent and it also promises more economic benefit as combining extraction and transesterification in a single process.