Enzymatic conversion of acid oils to biodiesel

Lipase-catalyzed production of biodiesel has been proven an effective method, particularly for using low-quality feedstocks. Recently, different lipases in their free and immobilized forms have been proposed and used at lab as well as at semi- and full-industrial scales using second generation feedstocks characterized by a high content of free fatty acids (FFAs). Enzymatic production of biodiesel using third generation feedstocks derived from oleaginous microorganisms has also been successfully evaluated. However further research is still needed in order to justify economically the production of biodiesel from such feedstocks as well as eliminate technical challenges related to the performance of the enzyme.