An overview on the conversion of glycerol to value‐added industrial products via chemical and biochemical routes

Abstract

Glycerol is a common by-product of industrial biodiesel syntheses. Due to its properties, availability, and versatility, residual glycerol can be used as a raw material in the production of high value-added industrial inputs and outputs. In particular, products like hydrogen, propylene glycol, acrolein, epichlorohydrin, dioxalane and dioxane, glycerol carbonate, n-butanol, citric acid, ethanol, butanol, propionic acid, (mono-, di-, and triacylglycerols), cynamoil esters, glycerol acetate, benzoic acid, and other applications. In this context, the present study presents a critical evaluation of the innovative technologies based on the use of residual glycerol in different industries, including the pharmaceutical, textile, food, cosmetic, and energy sectors. Chemical and biochemical catalysts in the transformation of residual glycerol are explored, along with the factors to be considered regarding the choice of catalyst route used in the conversion process, aiming at improving the production of these industrial products.

Encapsulation of lipases by nucleotide/metal ion coordination polymers: enzymatic properties and their applications in glycerolysis and esterification studies

“…9 They have been recently used as a potential biocatalyst in a large number of biotechnological sciences. 10 Specifically in dairy products (cheese recovery, flavor enhancement and the production of enzyme-modified cheese), detergents, pharmaceuticals (ibuprofen, naproxen), chemicals, 11 agriculture products (pesticides, insects) and oil chemistry. 12 In addition, lipases exhibit good stability in different media, from aqueous to anhydrous media, and are stable in ionic liquids, supercritical fluids or deep eutectic solvents.…”

The Chemistry and Applications of Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) as Industrial Enzyme Immobilization Systems

“…Enzymes have been widely used as natural biocatalysts in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and food industries, in addition to their well-known applications in medicine and in effluent and solid-waste treatment systems [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. This is mainly due to the diversity of reactions enabled by biocatalysts, as well as their high efficiency, specificity, and selectivity [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]. Furthermore, enzymes are biocompatible and biodegradable structures that can be derived from renewable resources [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ].…”

Current Status and Future Perspectives of Supports and Protocols for Enzyme Immobilization

“…However, acyl transfer reaction on the hydrolysis of ester bonds can also create C-C bonds, acting in a wide range of solvents, making them one of the most widely used enzymes in industrial processes [6,20]. Their main biotechnological applications are in the biotransformation of oils and fats in food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and power production industries [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] Lipases can be from animal, microbial, and plant sources, with varying properties [12,21,35]. However, almost 50% of the commercial volume of lipases is produced only from yeasts and filamentous fungi [36,37].…”