LIPASE PRODUCING FUNGI, A FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL IN MEXICO

Abstract

The exploration of solutions to solve energy problems leads to the search for alternatives for the production of biofuels that do not have negative impacts on the environment. The use of soil microorganisms capable of deriving biofuels through lipase production, especially fungi, is a valuable alternative. Soil samples were collected in different localities of the state of Chiapas, México, to detect and identify morphologically and molecularly lipase producing fungi. The genera Penicillium and Aspergillus were determined, where the first presented conidia in ramified structure, phialides, and globular and ovoid conidia, followed by Aspergillus niger where vertical, simple conidiophores, with globular endings, phialides and unicellular conidia were observed. Molecularly, the fungi Aspergillus niger, Penicillium griseofulvum, A. oryzae, P. janthinellum and P. verrucosum were identified, and associated to lipolytic production, although no evaluations were carried out of their capacity for producing the enzymes under different fermentation systems.