Effect of various additives on enzymatic hydrolysis of castor oil

Hydrolysis of castor oil using lipase enzyme is carried out in a batch reactor at room temperature (35–40 °C). In order to reduce the cost of enzyme catalyzed reaction, water in oil emulsion and a 3:1 ratio of oil to water is selected. The concentration of enzyme in the reaction mixture is optimized. The effect of various additives like solvent and salt which can enhance the rate of reaction is studied. It is found that the glycerol has no effect on the hydrolysis of oil. The reusability of the lipase enzyme has also been tested. The yield of enzymatic hydrolysis of castor oil is compared with those of coconut oil and olive oil.