Lipase-Catalyzed Interesterification of Fully and Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil Blends for Bioparaffin Production

Abstract

Blends of fully and partially hydrogenated soybean oil (80:20 wt %) were enzymatically interesterified employing a commercial immobilized lipase (Novozym 435) to obtain bioparaffins of industrial interest. The reaction was performed at 90 °C, shortening the reaction time, and the reutilization of the lipase can be done for up to 9 cycles. The synthesized materials were characterized by gas chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, polarized light microscopy, and by a penetration test. Interesterification modified the composition of triacylglycerols reducing the concentration of trisaturated and triunsaturated and increasing the amount of monounsaturated-disaturated. Minor quantities of mono- and diacylglycerols were also produced. The change in the triacylglycerols composition lowers the melting point and modifies the crystallization behavior. Textural characterization reveals that interesterified blends decrease in crystal size and improve plasticity as compared with the original blends. Bioparaffins produced by this procedure possess a similar range of melting points and textural behavior as that of mineral paraffins widely used in the industry, representing a more sustainable and eco-friendly alternative.