Utilizing ultrasonic energy for reduction of free fatty acids in crude palm oil

Recently, biodiesel production from abundant bio-sources has drawn the attention of the academic and the industrial community. In this study, crude palm oil (CPO) containing 8.7% free fatty acid content (FFA) was used as raw material. Different common types of acid catalysts (sulfuric acid, methanesulfonic acid and hydrochloric acid) were optimized to investigate the catalytic activity of each acid in the pre-treatment of CPO by the esterification process. Ultrasonic energy was used for the reduction of FFA in CPO. FFA content was measured at different sonication intervals, and the optimum time was determined. Hydrochloric acid showed the highest catalytic activity in the reduction of FFA content in CPO, as well as in converting FFA to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). From this work, it is reasonable to conclude that there is significant enhancement in the pre-treatment of oils by applying ultrasonic energy using long sonication time.Keywords: Biodiesel, crude palm oil, free fatty acids, ultrasonic energ

A grand avenue to integrate deep eutectic solvents into biomass processing

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are green solvents that are developing rapidly, used in many types of applications as well as fundamental investigations. The physicochemical properties of DESs are one of the most important factors which led to their increased interest in science and technology. DESs are thermally and chemically stable, non-flammable and have a negligible vapor pressure. Furthermore, most of the newly formulated DESs are liquids at room temperature. DESs are more economical and less expensive compared to ionic liquids. DESs are frequently prepared from renewable and non-toxic precursors, in addition, there are wide selections of biocompatible and biodegradable DESs. Hence, DESs have been used in many applications and processes such as biorefinery, lignocellulose dissolution, bioactive compound extraction and electrochemical applications. In this review, an update of the application of DESs in biomass processing as renewable sources is presented. This review aims to cover as much as possible the ongoing research and applications of DES and invite opinions to broaden the applications of DESs, rather than concentrating on the physicochemical fundamentals of new DESs. The future of these solvents is bright but require further investigations and efforts for a better understanding and future for sustainable resources

Shedding light on lipase stability in natural deep eutectic solvents

This study presents the potential role of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) in a lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis reaction as both a co-solvent in an aqueous solution and as a main solvent. Ammonium salts such as choline chloride (ChCl) were paired with different hydrogen bond donors such as glycerol and malonic acid and sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose). The hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl palmitate by six different lipases: lipase from porcine pancreas (PR), lipase from Candida rugosa (CR), Amano lipase PS, from Burkholderia cepacia (AM), lipase from Rhizopus niveus (RN), lipase acrylic resin from Candida antartica (ARC), lipase B Candida antartica immobilized on Immobead 150, recombinant from Aspergillus oryzae (CALB), were tested in five NADESs. The results showed that NADES3 prepared from ChCl/sucrose was the most promising solvent as it enhanced the activities of both CALB and lipase from porcine pancreas to 355 % and 345 %. The kinetics investigation confirmed the higher catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of lipases in the 40 % of (NADES3) and compared with the aqueous form. The trend achieved by NADES may be a promising approach for applications and further perspectives as genuinely green industrial solvents

Nanocellulose and natural deep eutectic solvent as potential biocatalyst system toward enzyme immobilization

This study reports the immobilization of Candida Rugosa lipase (CRL) onto nanocellulose (NC) extracted from almond shells using p-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA) and sulfuric acid (ASS) with sugar-based natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES1a) as a biocatalyst system. The properties of both immobilized lipases were studied and compared to the free enzyme counterpart. Under optimized conditions (2 h, 40 ºC and pH 7.0), the immobilized CRL-PTSA-NADES1a and CRL-ASS-NADES1a gave a maximum specific activity of 4.9 U mg−1 and 6.57 U mg−1, respectively, compared to the free CRL (4.52 U mg−1). Both immobilized CRL showed better thermal stability, high catalytic activity and reusability up to 7 consecutive cycles. The half- life of the immobilized lipase was 14 ∼ 16 days greater than free lipase (27 days). The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of NC-ASS (20.76 m2 g−1) is higher compared to NC-PTSA (4.81 m2 g−1). The functional groups and morphology of the free and immobilized CRL were further determined by Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These findings revealed that the immobilized CRL onto NCs and NADES1a as green materials and solvent, respectively had higher lipase immobilization efficiency and stability for the treatment of food contaminants in oils in order to satisfy increasing commercial demands in the oil industry

Enzymatic hydrolysis for the removal of 3- monochloropropanediol esters in edible oils using Candida rugosa lipase in the presence of deep eutectic solvents and nanocellulose

3-monochloropropanediol ester (3-MCPDE) is identified as a food-borne contaminant in edible oils and are classified as a possible carcinogen. This study reports an efficient enzymatic technique for the removal of 3-MCPDE from extra virgin olive oil (EVO) using Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) as the biocatalyst in the presence of choline chloride and fructose-based natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) and nanocellulose (NC) extracted from almond shells. The validity of the method was confirmed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showing adequate precision with relative standard deviation values ≤ 2.37%. The quantification and detection limit are within the permissible levels of 3-MCPD in edible oils. Under optimized conditions of 30 min at 90 °C with 60 µL of phenylboronic acid (PBA), the enzymatic hydrolysis resulted in the removal of 79.8% of spiked 3-MCPD in EVO. No adverse effects of the EVO were detected from this technique with respect to the oil quality testing. The application of DESs and NCs as the support material for the CRL biocatalyst for the removal of 3-MCPDE has yet to be explored. This could have a significant impact on the edible oil industry for producing oils of higher quality free from 3-MCPDE

3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD): a review on properties, occurrence, mechanism of formation, toxicity, analytical approach and mitigation strategy

3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) is one of the most common food contaminants in processed oils which forms mostly during the deodorization step of edible oil refining process. It has been detected in many types of food products such as infant formula, margarine, bread and soy sauce, which could result in kidney and testicular damage. The presence of 3-MCPD contaminant have been occurring for more a decade, which warrants a maximum permissible amount of 2 µg/kg body weight in food products in national and international levels. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview in the past 12 years on its physicochemical properties, occurrence, potential precursors and formation mechanism of 3-MCPD in foodstuffs. The toxicity, its quantification methods and mitigation strategy are also reviewed with an emphasis on the applicability, efficiency and issues encountered during the analysis. This review provides an elucidation regarding 3-MCPDEs and their food safety implications

Comparative study of the chemical kinetics of two catalysts used for esterification of sludge palm oil

Chemical kinetics study was carried out for batch esterification process. Reactant concentration (FFA) as function of time was plotted according to first and second order equations in order to study the catalytic activities of both toluene-4-sulfonic monohydrate acid (PTSA) and sulfuric acid. Pretreatment of Sludge Palm Oil (SPO) by esterification reaction was found to be a second order reaction. Sulfuric acid showed higher catalytic activity than PTSA. The rate constant K of using PTSA was 0.9 * 10-3 min-1 while K of using sulfuric acid was 2* 10-3 min-1

Production of biodiesel from sludge palm oil by esterification process

Sludge palm oil (SPO) is an attractive feedstock and a significant raw material for biodiesel production. The use of SPO can lower the cost of biodiesel production significantly. In this study biodiesel fuel was produced from SPO by esterification process using P-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA) as acid catalyst in different dosages in presence of methanol to convert free fatty acid (FFA) to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). Batch esterification process of SPO was carried out to study the influence of PTSA dosage (0.25-10% wt/wt),molar ratio of methanol to SPO (6:1-20:1), temperature (40-80 oC), reaction time (30-120 min). The effects of those parameters on the yield of crude biodiesel and conversion of FFA to FAME were monitored. The optimum condition for batch esterification process was 0.75% wt/wt, 10:1 molar ratio, 60 oC temperature and 60 minutes reaction time

Natural deep eutectic solvent-assisted pectin extraction from pomelo peel using sonoreactor: experimental optimization approach

Background: Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) can be used for extracting a wide range of biomaterials, such as pectin. This study introduces a new generation of natural solvents for pectin extraction which could replace the conventional solvents in the food industry. Methods: In this study, NADESs were used for pectin extraction from pomelo (Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck) peels using a sonoreactor. Definitive screening design (DSD) was used to screen the influence of time, temperature, solid/liquid ratio, and NADES/water ratio on the pectin yield and degree of esterification (DE). Results: The primary screening revealed that the best choices for the extraction were choline chloride–malonic acid (ChCl-Mal) and choline chloride–glucose–water (ChCl:Glc:W). Both co-solvents yielded 94% pectin and 52% DE after optimization at 80 ◦C, with 60 min of sonication, pH < 3.0, and a NADES-to-water ratio of 1:4.5 (v/v). Morphological screening showed a smooth and compact surface of the pectin from ChCl-Mal where glucose-based pectin had a rough surface and lower DE. Conclusions: NADESs proved to be promising co-solvents for pectin extraction with a high degree of esterification (>55%)