Synthesis of Fatty Acid Methyl Ester from Palm Oil using Crude Lipase from Papaya Latex and Rice Bran

Abstract

The ability of crude lipase from papaya latex (CPL) and from rice bran (RBL) to catalyze trans-esterification of palm oil with methanol to produce fatty acid methyl Esters (FAMEs) were investigated. The work had two objectives: (a) to study the effect of temperature, reaction time and ratio of freeze dried Carica papaya latex (CPL) and defatted rice bran (RBL) to oil on the formation of FAME from palm oil through lipase-catalyzed methanolysis using response surface methodology (RSM) approach to determine the optimum process condition, (b) to evaluate of scaling up of batch process up to 4500 g of palm oil used and continuous process using packed bed reactor. The optimum condition for enzymatic synthesis of FAME by CPL was found to be at 55.13 0 C, with the ratio of CPL to oil 15.95:100. Methanol was added into oil by stepwise, three times every 4 hours, the reaction was continued until 24 hours. The FAME formed in this optimum condition found to be 21,73 %. Using RBL, the optimum condition for synthesis of FAME found to be at 61.7 0 C with the ratio of RBL to oil 16.9:100. Methanol was added into oil by stepwise, three times every 4 hours, and the reaction was continued until 54 hours. The FAME formed at this optimum condition found was 21.74%. Scaling up process using palm oil from 45 up to 4500 g giving FAME formed around 80% and 20 % for CPL and RBL, respectively. However, further investigation on continuous process need to be established.Key word: palm oil, methanol, Carica papaya lipase, rice bran lipase, fatty acid methyl ester