Evaluation of biodiesel produced from some oleaginous fungi oil using whole-cell lipase

Abstract

BIODIESEL, known as fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), is a sustainable and ecofriendly substitute for Petro-diesel. This study investigates biodiesel synthesis from oil derived from oleaginous fungi, specifically, Fusarium verticillioides AUMC 16026, using Rhizopus arrhizus AUMC 16025 and Penicillium crustosum Pmor whole-cell lipase as a biocatalyst. This research marks the first record of using P. crustosum Pmor whole-cell lipase as a biocatalyst for biodiesel synthesis. Twenty-two fungi were isolated and screened for their ability to accumulate lipids and produce lipase. F. verticillioides AUMC 16026, the most potent lipid producer, showed the highest lipid production when grown in the presence of sucrose and sodium nitrate (initial pH, 4) for 3 days at 30°C under static conditions. R. arrhizus AUMC 16025 had the highest lipase activity (4.67 U/g), followed by P. crustosum Pmor (3.67 U/g). Therefore, they were chosen to perform the fungal oil transesterification process. Gas chromatography was utilized for analyzing produced FAMEs. Analysis of biodiesel produced from F. verticillioides AUMC 16026 oil transesterified using R. arrhizus AUMC 16025 whole-cell lipase revealed that linoleic (27.28%) and acids (25.46%) were the most abundant methyl esters. Meanwhile, those produced using P. crustosum Pmor whole-cell lipase displayed that oleic acid (23.53%) and palmitoleic acid (21.28%) were the most abundant, followed by linoleic (18.88%) and palmitic acids (11.84%). The biodiesel generated by both lipases was of similar quality, and both were similar to that of biodiesel derived from vegetable and leftover frying oils. This indicated that F. verticillioides AUMC 16026 oil was a good feedstock for biodiesel production.