The Pauper and the Prince: Glycerol in a view from biofuels and biorefineries

A.J. BECCARIA; A.A. IGLESIAS; R.A. COMELLI

Glycerol: Production, Structure and Applications

Nova Science Publisher

Año: 2012; p. 113 - 137

Glycerol (1,2,3-propanetriol, abbrev. Gro), a sweet-tasting alcohol, was discovered in the 18th century (1779) by the Swedish chemist C.W. Scheele, who isolated the poly-alcohol after heating olive oil and litharge. The chemical is also known as glycerin or glycerine. It is abundant in nature after being a component of many lipids and a main compatible solute produced by cells for osmoregulation, to manage water activity variations in the medium. Also, many microorganisms are able to use glycerin as a source for carbon and energy. Main physicochemical properties of Gro can be summarized by being a colorless, odorless, highly hygroscopic and viscous liquid having a boiling point at 290 ºC, a specific gravity of 1.26 and a molecular weight of 92.09 (Pagliaro and Rossi, 2008). It forms crystals at low temperatures that tend to melt at 17.9 ºC. All its characteristics make of Gro a compound of utility for inclusion in different industrial processes and/or for being a key constituent in several chemical preparations.