Microwave-assisted protocol for squalene isolation and conversion from oil-deodoriser distillates

Abstract Aiming to design a green and efficient protocol for squalane production from low-cost biomasses, a practical and scalable procedure for squalene extraction and hydrogenation to squalane is presented herein. The oil-deodoriser distillates that are produced by the vegetal-oil production chain are a renewable and cheap source of squalene. We were able to isolate an enriched fraction containing 89.0% of pure squalene (yield 55.4%) from a matrix containing about 2% squalene. Efficient microwave- assisted esterification under heterogeneous catalysis enabled the separation of fatty-acid methyl esters (FAME) via vacuum distillation. The residue was purified by flash-chromatography on a C-18 silica column using MeOH/H2O/2-propanol as the mobile phase. Finally, squalene was hydrogenated to the more stable squalane in a pressure-resistant microwave reactor. The reaction was performed over a Pd/C catalyst in EtOH, and even in solvent-free conditions, and was optimised using commercial squalene (5 bar of H2 at 100°C for 1 h).

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Rapid microwave-assisted transesterification for the preparation of fatty acid methyl esters from the oil of yellow horn (Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge.)

European Food Research and Technology ◽

10.1007/s00217-009-1024-1 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 229 (1) ◽

pp. 43-49 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Yuangang Zu ◽

Su Zhang ◽

Yujie Fu ◽

Wei Liu ◽

Zhiguo Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acid ◽

Fatty Acid Methyl Esters ◽

Methyl Esters ◽

Microwave Assisted ◽

Acid Methyl

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Trends in Widely Used Catalysts for Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) Production: A Review

Catalysts ◽

10.3390/catal11091085 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 1085

Author(s):

Shafaq Nisar ◽

Muhammad Asif Hanif ◽

Umer Rashid ◽

Asma Hanif ◽

Muhammad Nadeem Akhtar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acid ◽

Large Scale ◽

Heterogeneous Catalysts ◽

Fatty Acid Methyl Esters ◽

Low Cost ◽

Methyl Esters ◽

Acid Catalyst ◽

Product Formation ◽

Biodiesel Production ◽

Acid Methyl

The effective transesterification process to produce fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) requires the use of low-cost, less corrosive, environmentally friendly and effective catalysts. Currently, worldwide biodiesel production revolves around the use of alkaline and acidic catalysts employed in heterogeneous and homogeneous phases. Homogeneous catalysts (soluble catalysts) for FAME production have been widespread for a while, but solid catalysts (heterogeneous catalysts) are a newer development for FAME production. The rate of reaction is much increased when homogeneous basic catalysts are used, but the main drawback is the cost of the process which arises due to the separation of catalysts from the reaction media after product formation. A promising field for catalytic biodiesel production is the use of heteropoly acids (HPAs) and polyoxometalate compounds. The flexibility of their structures and super acidic properties can be enhanced by incorporation of polyoxometalate anions into the complex proton acids. This pseudo liquid phase makes it possible for nearly all mobile protons to take part in the catalysis process. Carbonaceous materials which are obtained after sulfonation show promising catalytic activity towards the transesterification process. Another promising heterogeneous acid catalyst used for FAME production is vanadium phosphate. Furthermore, biocatalysts are receiving attention for large-scale FAME production in which lipase is the most common one used successfully This review critically describes the most important homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts used in the current FAME production, with future directions for their use.

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