A PROCESS FOR THE ENZYMATIC SYNTHESIS OF FATTY ACID ALKYL ESTERS

• Main Authors: MOHSEN, USAMA, BASHEER, SOBHI, HAJ, MAISA, HINDAWI, AHMAD, SHEHADEH, DOAA, MASOUD, EMAD
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 09.01.2013
• Subjects: ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES AND WAXES; APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CANDLES; CHEMISTRY; DETERGENTS; ENZYMOLOGY; FATS, OILS OR FATTY ACIDS BY CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF FATS,OILS, OR FATTY ACIDS OBTAINED THEREFROM; FATTY ACIDS FROM FATS, OILS OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIREDCHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERSFROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; SPIRITS; VINEGAR; WINE

Disclosed are an enzymatic batchwise or continuous process for the production of fatty acid alkyl esters for use in the biofuels, food and detergent industries and a system therefor. The process utilizes enzymes immobilized on a hydrophobic resin mixed with a fatty acid source and an alcohol or alcohol donor in the presence of an alkaline or mild alkaline aqueous buffer, or in the presence of water solution. The production process for fatty acid alkyl esters is carried out by transesterification or esterification simultaneously or sequentially. The biocatalyst activity is maintained with no significant activity losses in multiple uses and also avoids the accumulation of glycerol and water by-products or other hydrophilic compounds on the biocatalyst.