This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Investigadores de la UCO patentan un método para obtener biodiésel mediante enzimas de páncreas de cerdo

Researchers at the UCO patented a method for obtaining biodiesel through pig pancreas enzymes

06/07/2009

July 6, 2009

A group of researchers from the University of Córdoba explored the possibility of obtaining biodiesel through heterogeneous catalysis, Biocatalysis and other possible routes, and to identify the major technological changes for their development. His main achievement, already patented, has been obtaining biodiesel of second geenración from pancreatic enzymes of the pig. His work is part of the European Sustoil project.

This project aims to assess the real possibilities of new chemical routes to obtain, from agriculture, necessary chemicals "that we can maintain our current way of life, without oil, given that this product"", as it begins to dwindle must first experience a price increase, to finally disappear, given its non-renewable nature", explains Diego Luna, of the UCO.

The new technology uses pancreatic lipases of the pig (enzymes) that allow producing biodiesel from oil and ethanol of agricultural origin. In this process is achieved that biodiesel incorporated the Glycerin from digestive degradation of lipids. In this way, it will output an awkward to handle by-product and reporting surpluses on the market.

In addition, the Andalusian researchers have already designed and built a pilot plant for the production of this fuel from used oils and residues of animal fat. It will produce approximately 6,000 litres per day. "Just missing some paperwork to start it up", says Diego Luna.