Glycerol from microalgae

The oil obtained from microalgae usually has a higher viscosity than diesel oil, which cannot be directly applied to engines. Transesterification is needed to reduce the viscosity and increase the fluidity. Transesterification occurs stepwise with the first conversion of TAG to DAG and then to MAG and finally to glycerol. In this process, large, branched triglycerides are transformed into smaller, straight-chain molecules, which are similar in size to the molecules of the species present in diesel fuel (Sinha et al., 2008). 

Robles Medina, A, Esteban Cerdan, L, Gimenez Gimenez, A, Camacho Paez, B, Ibanez Gonzalez, MJ and Molina Grima, E (1999) Lipase-catalyzed esterification of glycerol and polyunstarurated fatty acids from fish and microalgae oils. J. Biotechnol, 70, 379-391. 

M.J. Grima, E.M. Lipase-Catalyzed Esterification of Glycerol and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from Fish and Microalgae Oils. J. Bio- 2I tech. 70, 379-391 (1999). 

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