Enzymatic synthesis of poly(glycerol sebacate) pre-polymer with crude glycerol, by-product from biodiesel prodution

The biodiesel fuel technology has attracted researchers worldwide as a viable alternative to fossil fuel consumption. The biodiesel production increment has resulted in a severe waste disposal crisis, because to produce 10 Kg of biodiesel, around 1 Kg of crude glycerol is produced. Therefore, it is essential to find valuable applications for this by-product. The biodegradable polymers have attracted interest, since many of their building blocks can be obtained from renewable sources. Poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) is polyester elastomer with potential biomedical applications, such, the recovery of soft tissues and organs and the delivery of pharmaceutical drugs. In this study, we report the successful synthesis of pre-polymer of PGS with Candida antarctica lipase B free (CALB) and lipase B immobilized Novozym 435 (N435) with crude glycerol and pure glycerol. The pre-polymers were analyzed by mass spectrometry MALDI-Tof-MS and RMN.