Enzymatic Reaction for Sustainable Biolubricant Synthesis from Microalgae Chlorella protothecoides

In recent years, there has been a growing focus on extracting valuable products from microalgae oils through research efforts. Producing biolubricants from renewable resources using sustainable technologies is crucial for environmental conservation and long-term resource management. The study successfully synthesized biolubricant by esterifying Chlorella protothecoides free fatty acids with various alcohols such as Ethylene Glycol (EG), Trimethylolpropane (TMP), Cetyl alcohol (CA).  In the study, important parameters affecting the esterification reaction, including the initial water ratio, lipase amount, reaction time, mixing speed, temperature, and alcohol/oil mole ratio, were examined. The catalytic ability of a new commercial lipase (Novozym® 51032) was demonstrated, resulting in high free fatty acid conversions and ester contents (95%, 93% for TMP; 80%, 86% for EG; and 78%,85% for CA). This sustainable process for biolubricant production is first reported in the literature.