Unraveling the Potential of Yarrowia lipolytica to Utilize Waste Motor Oil as a Carbon Source

This study evaluated the potential of <i>Y. lipolytica</i> (CBS 2075 and DSM 8218) to grow in waste motor oil (WMO) and produce valuable compounds, laying the foundation for a sustainable approach to WMO management. Firstly, yeast strains were screened for their growth on WMO (2-10 g·L^-1) in microplate cultures. Despite limited growth, the CBS 2075 strain exhibited comparable growth to control conditions (without WMO), while DSM 8218 growth increased 2- and 3-fold at 5 g·L^-1 and 10 g·L^-1 WMO, respectively. The batch cultures in the bioreactor confirmed the best performance of DSM 8218. A two-stage fed-batch strategy-growth phase in aliphatic hydrocarbons, followed by the addition of WMO (one pulse of 5 g·L^-1 or five pulses of 1 g·L^-1 WMO), significantly increased biomass production and WMO assimilation by both strains. In experiments with five pulses, CBS 2075 and DSM 8218 strains reached high proteolytic activities (593-628 U·L^-1) and accumulated high quantities of intracellular lipids (1.3-1.7 g·L^-1). Yeast lipids, mainly composed of oleic and linoleic acids with an unsaturated/saturated fraction > 59%, meet the EU biodiesel standard EN 14214, making them suitable for biodiesel production.