Features of the enzymatic hydrolysis of castor oil

Ricinoleic acid, which is used in medicine and veterinary science and is the initial material in the organic synthesis of various valuable products, is obtained via the hydrolysis of castor oil. The enzymatic hydrolysis of castor oil, which allows us to conduct the process under mild conditions (in the temperature range of 35–45°C and without high pressures) is a promising method for obtaining ricinoleic acid. This work demonstrates the feasibility of the enzymatic hydrolysis of castor oil with lipase from Candida rugosa in oil-water systems without an emulsifier. We propose a method for hydrolysis without emulsifiers, simplifying the process of isolating the target product (a mixture of free fatty acids in which ricinoleic acid predominates) and thus the relevant technology. The catalyst that we use ensures the environmental friendliness of the process. Our selection of the experimental conditions for hydrolysis resulted in a 47% yield of fatty acids.