COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ENZYMATIC TRANSESTERIFICATION OF Jatropha OIL USING LIPASE FROM Jatropha curcas and Jatropha gossipyfolia

Biodiesel consists of monoalkyl esters of long chain fatty acids. It is produced from vegetable oils or fats either by chemical transesterification with methanol or ethanol. The cost of lipases and the relatively slower reaction rate remain as the major obstacles for enzymatic production of biodiesel as opposed to the conventional chemical processes. The enzymatic process offers several advantages over the chemical routes. The handicap of increase in process cost because of the enzyme can be overcome by using efficient production process for enzyme and using reusable derivative of enzymes, such as immobilized enzyme. Numerous strategies available in the area of non-aqueous enzymology can be exploited during the enzymatic alcoholysis for the biodiesel production. The paper reviews the starting oils usually employed in biodiesel production, the process for transforming them to biodiesel playing particular emphasis on enzymatic transesterification the sources of production and characterization of vegetable oils and their methyl ester as the substitute of the petroleum fuel.