Evaluation of Thar Desert bacterial lipases for catalytic efficiencies and biodiesel production potentials

The present work describes the screening of thermotolerant bacteria isolated from Thar Desert environmental samples for lipase activity and their catalytic efficiencies, such as tolerance to extreme pHs, temperatures, and organic solvents, and efficiency to synthesize biodiesel from waste cooking oils. The selected lipases were thermos-alkaliphilic in nature showing good activity at higher temperatures and in the alkaline pH range with optimal activity at 45 degrees C and pH 8 or 9. The lipases efficiently converted oils to biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester), giving up to 78% conversion under specific reaction conditions. The enzyme (lipase) mediated biodiesel production will soon offer an eco-friendly and sustainable energy source for automobiles and industrial applications. The thermos-alkaliphilic properties of these lipases along with their efficiency to produce fatty acid methyl ester from waste cooking oil and methanol as well as other prospective applications, make them potential candidates for biodiesel production and other prospective applications such as the synthesis of flavor and fragrance esters and remediation of various environmental pollutants.