Opportunities for improving biodiesel production via lipase catalysis

The rising global demand for sustainable energy resources is resulting in an accelerated increase in biodiesel consumption. In this sense, studies aimed at tackling process hurdles in biodiesel production have been continuously carried out. In order to reduce energy consumption and the amount of wastewater generated, as well as to avoid the production of inefficient end products, classes of enzymes, especially lipases, are being successfully explored as substitutes to chemical catalysts. This article highlights several aspects of lipase-catalyzed biodiesel production. The recent advances and the future perspectives of mechanisms that could circumvent the well-known problems inherent in these systems are presented and discussed, such as the low-stability and the pricing of biocatalysts. According to the literature, alternative solutions include the use of low-cost, unconventional raw materials, new supports, the elucidation of mechanisms of lipase immobilization, and optimal designs and operational settings for bioreactors. Finally, there is a discussion around the necessary steps to enable an economically-viable industrial production.