Application of Steapsin lipase for bioconversion of glycerol acetates from glycerol

This work demonstrates the synthesis of glycerol acetate esters derived from glycerol through an esterification reaction catalyzed by lipase (Steapsin). Glycerol was esterified with acetic acid. The best conditions for the synthesis of glycerol acetates were 70 degrees C, molar ratio between glycerol , acetic acid was 1:10 and the catalyst concentration was 5 wt %. Glycerol (G) conversion reached 95-99% within 48-108 h of reaction. The yields of glycerol acetates were 22%, 59% and 19% of mono glycerol acetate (MGA), di glycerol acetate (DGA) and tri glycerol acetate (TGA) respec-tively. The obtained results demonstrated the efficiency of the reaction catalyzed by lipase and the feasibility of this method for the synthesis of glycerol acetates through bio-catalysis. This method of glycerol acetate synthesis was not described in the literature until now, giving this re-search an innovative edge.