Immobilization of Pseudomonas cepacia Lipase by Sol-Gel entrapment and its application in the hydrolysis of Soybean oil

A continuous process for the glycerolysis of soybean oil with pure and crude glycerol, the co-productfrom the rransesteriiication of soybean oil was invesligated i n a pilot plan(. Thc placess was equipped with a motionless and a high-shear mixer. The experimental studies explored the effectc of variations i n mixing inlensiLy, remperature, reactant flow rates, and reactant stoichiometry on the formation of MG and DC. The developed process resulted i n high conversion of TG to MC. The most favorabie conditions were 230°C, 40 mUniin total flow, 25 min of reaclion time, 2.51 molar ratio of glycerollsoybean oil, and 3600 rpm for the reactions involving crude glyceral where the concentrations of MG and DG i n the product wlere about 56 and 36 wt%, respectively. Under sirnilar conditions, glycerolysis of pure glycerol resulted i n 58% MG and33% DC. In general, higher temperatures and mixing intensities favored the conversion of TG to jUG and DG. Reaction temperature had a greater influence on the extent of the reaction than mixing. The formation of MG approached equilibrium for nearly all cases under investigations. Paper no. 110701 i n JAOCS 81, xxx-xxx (lanuary 2004;.