Assessment of properties and life cycle of biosynthetic oil

Abstract

This article contains the analysis of the possibilities of biosynthetic oils selection scheme. The properties of the newly produced biosynthetic oils (enzymatic production method) and their impact on the environment were analyzed. The assessment of the life cycle was made and the results obtained with biosynthetic oils (chemical production method) and mineral oils were compared. For the process of oleic acid esterification with 1.2-propanediol, the following biocatalysts were applied: Lipolase 100 L, Lipex 100 L, Resinase A, Lipozyme TL IM, Novozym 435 and Lipozyme RM IM. The analysis of biotechnological esterification indicated that the enzyme preparation Lipolase 100L was the most effective during the esterification reaction. The following optimal conditions of 1.2-propanediol oleate during biotechnological production were determined: the molar ratio of oleic acid and 1.2-propanediol – 1:3.72, the amount of Lipolase 100L–1.84% (of oleic acid quantity), temperature – 33 °C, duration – 4 h. The obtained lubricant 1.2-propanediol oleate was characterized by a low coefficient of friction. The results obtained after the completion of the life cycle assessment in accordance with the methodologies of Environmental Design of Industrial Products 2003 and Impact 2002+ indicated that enzymatic production of 1 ton of biosynthetic oils (using 1.2-propanediol, oleic acid and biological catalyst), 1.2-propanediol oleate causes the least impact on the environment in the categories of global warming, ozone layer depletion, eutrophication, acidification, etc., in comparison with biosynthetic oils (when the amounts of raw materials of methanol, rapeseed oil, trimethylolpropane and catalyst NaOH are used) of trimethylolpropane oleate and mineral oils.