Contribuição dos insumos no custo total do bioprocesso para produção de biolubrificante em escala de laboratório

Abstract

Biolubricants are environmentally friendly alternatives to mineral lubricating oils, especially as they are biodegradable. Based on this, researchers and entrepreneurs have directed their efforts to develop and implement efficient and sustainable processes without burdening the lubricant industry's finances. For this purpose, it is crucial to evaluate the inputs that most contribute to the composition of the operating cost of production, since from then on it will be possible to implement a pilot plant commercially. In this scenario, the present study evaluates the representativeness of the inputs in the composition of the operational cost of a biolubricant production bioprocess, based on the enzymatic hydroesterification of Moringa oleifera Lam oil, on a laboratory scale. The results revealed that among all the inputs, the biocatalyst (Candida rugosa lipase − CRL) had greater participation in the composition of costs, making up around 31% of the operational costs of production of the bioprocess. The analysis indicated that replacing CRL with lipase Eversa^® Transform 2.0 would provide a substantial reduction of approximately 26% in operating costs. Furthermore, the scaling of production, sustainability certification, and tax incentives that can be associated with the industrial implementation of the developed bioprocess can significantly reduce the operating costs of production of the biolubricant.