A supported biocatalyst was prepared by immobilization of Mucor miehei lipase onto mesoporous silica materials. This material was used for the synthesis of biodiesel through the transesterification of rapeseed oil with methanol. The process of biodiesel production was optimized by application of the factorial design methodology. Methanol to oil molar ratio, water addition, reaction temperature and biocatalyst content were chosen as the variables and the response selected was the yield of esterification. Oil/methanol ratio was found to have the strongest influence on conversion, a low ratio is more favorable. To increase the enzyme activity water has to be added. However excess of water favors the hydrolysis reaction. The temperature has a slight influence. The optimal conditions for the transesterification are: reaction temperature of 24 °C, alcohol/oil molar ratio of 1:1, and water content of 2.5% w/w. Under these reaction conditions the methanol is totally consumed and around a third of the triglycerides are converted. Nearly 100% of the oil was converted to methyl esters with incremental additions of methanol (three increments of methanol at regular time).

通过固定Mucor miehei脂肪酶制备负载型生物催化剂到介孔二氧化硅材料上。该材料用于通过菜籽油与甲醇的酯交换反应来合成生物柴油。通过应用析因设计方法优化了生物柴油的生产过程。选择甲醇与油的摩尔比，加水量，反应温度和生物催化剂含量作为变量，选择的反应为酯化的产率。发现油/甲醇比对转化率具有最强的影响，低的比例则更有利。为了增加酶的活性，必须添加水。但是，过量的水有利于水解反应。温度影响很小。酯交换反应的最佳条件是：反应温度为24°C，醇/油摩尔比为1：1，水含量为2.5％w / w。在这些反应条件下，甲醇被完全消耗掉，并且大约三分之一的甘油三酸酯被转化。随着甲醇的添加量的增加，将近100％的油转化为甲酯（常规时间甲醇的增量为3）。