Enzymatic Synthesis of Biodiesel by Direct Transesterification of Rapeseed Cake

Abstract Increase in energy demand and limited sources of fossil fuels force the world’s population to seek new energy sources Biodiesel obtained by transesterification of oils with an alcohol in the presence of catalysts is an example of renewable fuel. The aim of the study was to assess the best conditions for enzymatic biodiesel synthesis by direct transesterification of rapeseed cake using Taguchi method. The influence of alcohol (methanol, ethanol, propanol, and butanol), temperature (30–60 °C), C. antarctica lipase B concentration (0.5–2 %), time (6–48 h) and rapeseed cake to alcohol ratio (1:2–1:5) was examined in the synthesis of fatty acid alkyl esters. Optimum conditions for direct enzymatic transesterification of rapeseed cake are: 30 °C, 12 h, 0.5 % of lipase and ethanol in 4:1 ratio to rapeseed cake.