Current Biotechnology Send Orders for Reprints to reprints@benthamscience.net 428 Current Biotechnology, 2018, 7, 428-437 RESEARCH ARTICLE Amazon Oils from Andiroba (Carapa sp.) and Babassu (Orbignya sp.) for Preparation Biodiesel by Enzymatic Catalysis Adriana M. Ferreira 1,2 , Iracirema da S. Sena 1 , Keurison F. Magalhães 3 , Samuel L. Oliveira 3 , Irlon M. Ferreira 2,4* and André L.M. Porto 4 1 Faculdade de Engenharia Agronômica, Universidade Federal do Pará, R. José Porfírio, 2515, Campus Altamira, São Sebastião, 68370-000, Altamira, Pará, Brazil; 2 Grupo de Biocatálise e Síntese Orgânica Aplicada, Colegiado de Quí- mica, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Rod. JK, KM 02, 68902-280, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil; 3 Grupo de Óptica e Fo- tônica, Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, 79070-900, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil; 4 Laboratório de Química Orgânica e Biocatálise, Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. João Dagnone, 1100, Ed. Química Ambiental, J. Santa Angelina, 13563-120, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil Abstract: Background: Biodiesel represents an alternative energy source with economic, social, environmental, and technological advantages over nonrenewable fuels. Objective: This study investigated two oils derived from plants of the Brazilian Amazon, andiroba (Carapa sp.) oil and babassu (Orbignya sp.) oil, as possible triacylglyceride sources for the production of biofuels by lipase B from Candida antarctica (CALB). Methods: The production of biodiesel ethylic by enzymatic catalyst was carried out in 3-mL Erlenmey- er flasks containing 150 mg (154 µL) of either babassu or andiroba oil, 475 µL of ethanol, and 15 mg of CALB. Results: The physical, chemical, and spectroscopic properties of these oils and their resulting biofuels were also reported. CALB exhibited high activity in the alcoholysis of babassu and andiroba oils under mild conditions and produced biodiesel ethyl esters in high yields (90% and 94%, respectively). The oils and biodiesel were characterized using 1 H NMR, Chromatography Gas–Mass Spectrometry (CG- MS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) being the main findings of the study. Conclusion: Ethanolysis of babassu and andiroba oils by catalysis enzymatic (CALB), showed to be a successful route in the synthesis of ethylic biodiesel in high yield. The corresponding biodiesels were characterized by 1 H NMR spectra, GC-MS, FT-IR, and TGA analyses. Results described here provide relevant information for the further research uses andiroba and babassu oils, the alternatives to other oils in synthesis of biodiesel. A R T I C L E H I S T O R Y Received: April 16, 2018 Revised: January 16, 2019 Accepted: January 22, 2019 DOI: 10.2174/2211550108666190125115515 Keywords: Biocatalysis, vegetable oil, lipase, transesterification, optical spectroscopy, CALB. 1. INTRODUCTION Biodiesel has emerged as an environmentally-friendly and renewable alternative fuel to petroleum-based fuels [1], chemically is defined as a monoalkyl ester-based diesel fuel that is derived from vegetable oils or animal fats and exhibits properties similar to those of mineral-based diesel fuels *Address correspondence to this author at the Grupo de Biocatálise e Sínte- se Orgânica Aplicada, Colegiado de Quí-mica, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Rod. JK, KM 02, 68902-280, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil; Tel: +55096991232182; E-mail: irlon.ferreira@gmail.com [2-4]. Therefore, biodiesel can serve as an ideal candidate either as a blending component for gasoline or as a direct replacement of diesel fuel. It plays an important role in the area of novel fuels [3, 5]. . The high oxygen content in bio- diesel allows the complete combustion of biodiesel in en- gines, thus exhaust emissions have lower amounts of particu- lates, hydrocarbons, gases like CO, CO 2 and SO x , making this fuel environmentally-friendly [1, 6]. Currently, biodiesel is produced on a commercial scale largely via catalysis with alkali metal hydroxides, mainly so- dium hydroxide or sodium methoxide (Scheme 1). However, 2211-551X/18 $58.00+.00 © 2018 Bentham Science Publishers