Method for bio-oxidative desulfurization of liquid hydrocarbon fuels and product thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method for producing ultra-low-sulfur content hydrocarbon fuel and product thereof. The method comprises selective biocatalytic oxidation of sulfur containing compounds present in the fuels employing enzyme lipase as biocatalyst in presence of controlled and incremental amount of hydrogen peroxide and carboxylic acid without using water or any co-factor for the reactivity of said enzymes.

1 . A method for desulfurizing liquid hydrocarbon fuel, wherein the method comprises selective biocatalytic oxidation of sulfur containing compounds present in the liquid hydrocarbon fuels employing enzyme lipase as biocatalyst in presence of hydrogen peroxide and carboxylic acid. 
   
   
       2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the biocatalyst used in the method is immobilized or free. 
   
   
       3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the biocatalyst used in the method is immobilized. 
   
   
       4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said lipase enzyme is derived from an organism selected from the group consisting of  Candida cylindracea, Candida lipolytica, Candida rugosa, Candida antarctica, Candida utilis, Chromobacterium viscosum, Geotrichum viscosum, Geotrichum candidum, Mucor javanicus, Mucor miehei, Porcine pancreas, Pseudomonas  species, specifically  Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas cepacia, Pseudomonas pseudoalkaligenes, Pseudomonas alkaligenes, Thermomyces species, Rhizopus arrhizus, Rhizopus delemar, Rhizopus niveus, Rhizopus oryzae, Rhizopus javanicus, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium roquefortii, Penicillium camembertii, Bacillus  species, Horse liver,  Saccharomyces cerevisiae,  Pigs liver or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       5 . The process according to  claim 4 , wherein said lipase enzyme is derived from an organism preferably selected from the group consisting of  Rhizomucor miehei, Candida antarctica  B,  Mucor miehei, Penicillium camembertii, Rhizopus niveus, Rhizopus javanicus, Pseudomanas  species and  Aspergillus niger  or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       6 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein said lipase enzyme is derived from an organism most preferably selected from  Candida antarctica  B lipase or  Rhizomucor miehei  lipase or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein carboxylic acid is aliphatic carboxylic acid. 
   
   
       8 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein said aliphatic carboxylic acid has carbon number from C3 to C22. 
   
   
       9 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein said carboxylic acids are preferably selected from valeric acid, decanoic acid, myristic acid and palmitic acid. 
   
   
       10 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein hydrogen peroxide is used in controlled and incremental amounts. 
   
   
       11 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said biocatalyst is recoverable and reusable in the reaction. 
   
   
       12 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the biocatalytic oxidation is performed at a temperature up to 700 C. 
   
   
       13 . A liquid hydrocarbon fuel produced by a method comprising desulfurizing liquid hydrocarbon fuel using selective biocatalytic oxidation of sulfur containing compounds present in the liquid hydrocarbon fuels employing lipase enzyme as biocatalyst in presence of hydrogen peroxide and carboxylic acid, wherein the fuel is characterized by low sulfur content. 
   
   
       14 . The fuel according to  claim 13 , wherein the biocatalyst used in the method is immobilized. 
   
   
       15 . The fuel according to  claim 13 , wherein said lipase enzyme is derived from an organism selected from the group consisting of  Candida cylindracea, Candida lipolytica, Candida rugosa, Candida antarctica, Candida utilis, Chromobacterium viscosum, Geotrichum viscosum, Geotrichum candidum, Mucor javanicus, Mucor michei, Porcine pancreas, Pseudomonas  species, specifically  Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas cepacia, Pseudomonas pseudoalkaligenes, Pseudomonas alkaligenes, Thermomyces species, Rhizopus arrhizus, Rhizopus delemar, Rhizopus niveus, Rhizopus oryzae, Rhizopus javanicus, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium roquefortii, Penicillium camembertii, Bacillus  species, Horse liver,  Saccharomyces cerevisiae,  Pigs liver or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       16 . The fuel according to  claim 15 , wherein said lipase enzyme is derived from an organism preferably selected from the group consisting of  Rhizomucor miehei, Candida antarctica  B,  Mucor miehei, Penicillium camembertii, Rhizopus niveus, Rhizopus javanicus, Pseudomanas  species and  Aspergillus niger  or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       17 . The fuel according to  claim 16 , wherein said lipase enzyme is derived from an organism most preferably selected from Candida antarctica B lipase or Rhizomucor miehei lipase or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       18 . The fuel according to  claim 13 , wherein said carboxylic acid comprises aliphatic carboxylic acid having a carbon number from C3 to C22. 
   
   
       19 . The fuel according to  claim 18 , wherein said carboxylic acid comprises one or more acids selected from valeric acid, decanoic acid, myristic acid and palmitic acid. 
   
   
       20 . The fuel according to  claim 13 , wherein hydrogen peroxide is used in controlled and incremental amounts.