Biodiesel production by lipase-catalyzed reactions: bibliometric analysis and study of trends

Biodiesel has become increasingly important in recent years as a potential substitute for petroleum diesel. Different techniques and catalysts have been developed and widely investigated for biodiesel production via enzymatic biocatalysis. In this review, we conducted a bibliometric analysis to examine the global scenario and identify trends in lipase-catalyzed biodiesel production in the past three decades. Challenges, advantages, disadvantages, and novel methods are also discussed. Publication frequency increased over the studied period, with China, Brazil, and India emerging as the most productive countries in terms of total number of publications and number of publications per journal. Papers from the field of bioenergy and bioprocesses received the highest number of citations. Keyword analysis revealed that immobilized lipase (magnetic nanoparticles and cross-linked enzyme aggregates), different feedstocks, ionic liquids, ultrasonication, and metabolic engineering were relevant to lipase-catalyzed biodiesel production. It is concluded that the research emphasis on biodiesel production is moving toward the use of non-edible oils, ultrasound, and ionic liquids for achieving high-enzyme activity and substrate conversion. (c) 2021 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd