ISSN: 0973-7510
E-ISSN: 2581-690X
Transesterification of vegetable oil is a route to produce fatty acid alkyl ester, which can be used as substitute to petroleum based diesel fuel. Various approaches such as acid, alkali or enzyme catalysis can be used to carry out this process. Among various enzymes, transesterification of vegetable with alcohols commonly uses lipase as catalyst. This study presents the investigations carried out to examine the extent of transesterification through enzyme catalysis. Lipase from Candida rugosa was used to examine the extent of transesterification (methanolysis) of the fresh and the waste cooking oil (cottonseed) oil using ethanol or methanol with reference to time. The products thus obtained were characterized using TLC and 1H-NMR spectroscopy.
Lipase, Candida rugosa, tranesterification, cotton seed oil
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