Enrichment of erucic acid from crambe oil in a recirculated packed bed reactor via lipase-catalyzed ethanolysis

Erucic acid enrichment from crambe oil was accomplished in a recirculated packed bed (RPBR) reactor via ethanolysis using Novozym 435 lipase from Candida antarctica as a biocatalyst. The content of erucic acid of the crambe oil used was 59.8 mol% The erucic acid was located predominantly in the sn-1,3 position of the triacylglycerol of the crambe oil. Novozym 435 used in this study has selectivity toward fatty acids in sn-1,3 position of triglyceride in excess ethanol. The effects of reaction temperature, molar ratio, and residence time of the substrate in RPBR on the enrichment of erucic acid as a function of reaction time were studied. The optimal temperature, molar ratio (crambe oil to ethanol), and residence time of the substrate in RPBR were 45 °C, 1:60, and 4 min, respectively.

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► Erucic acid enrichment was produced from crambe oil by ethanolysis using recirculated packed bed reactor.
► Novozym 435 lipase exhibited high selectivity at the sn-1,3 position of crambe oil triacylglycerol for ethanolysis.
► Pumping speed of recirculated packed bed reactor affected significantly the reaction for enrichment of erucic acid.