Valorization of vegetable oil from Amazon region through heterogeneous enzymatic catalysis

• Grant number: 24/13698-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Waldir Tardioli
• Grantee: Hatus Garreto Borges
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The global energy matrix still heavily depends on fossil fuels, resulting in socio- environmental harm to various societies. The advent of current capitalism contributes to the segregation of traditional populations from productive means. Thus, the aim of this work is to evaluate the use of biocatalysts to transform babassu oil coconut oil, produced in the Amazon region, into high-value products: biodiesel (fatty acid methyl esters, FAME) and acetins, through heterogeneous enzymatic interesterification. To achieve this, the influence of a lipase immobilized onchemicallymodified diatomaceous earth will be analyzed regarding the reaction yield (mass percentage of FAME and triacetin), using a central composite rotational design (CCRD) todetermine the optimal conditions (temperature, oil to methyl acetate molar ratio, and biocatalyst mass). Under optimal conditions, the conversion profile over time will be analyzed to calculate product yields and productivities of the process and the biocatalyst. In this context, this project aims to contribute to the renewable and sustainable biofuels sector and promote the inclusion of traditional populations in the current market.