Editing Transesterification (section)

===Methanolysis and biodiesel production===
The reverse reaction, methanolysis, is also an example of transesterification. This process has been used to recycle polyesters into individual monomers (see [[plastic recycling]]). It is also used to convert fats ([[triglyceride]]s) into [[biodiesel]]. This conversion was one of the first uses. Transesterified [[vegetable oil]] ([[biodiesel]]) was used to power heavy-duty vehicles in South Africa before [[World War II]].

It was [[patented]] in the US in the 1950s by [[Colgate-Palmolive|Colgate]], though [[biolipid]] transesterification may have been discovered much earlier. In the 1940s, researchers were looking for a method to more readily produce [[glycerol]], which was used to produce [[explosives]] for World War II. Many of the methods used today by producers have their origin in the original 1940s research.

Biolipid transesterification has also been recently shown by Japanese researchers to be possible using a [[Supercritical fluid|supercritical]] methanol methodology, whereby high temperature, high-pressure vessels are used to physically catalyze the biolipid/methanol reaction into fatty-acid methyl esters.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ehimen |first=E. A. |last2=Sun |first2=Z. F. |last3=Carrington |first3=C. G. |date=2010-03-01 |title=Variables affecting the in situ transesterification of microalgae lipids |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016236109004736 |journal=Fuel |volume=89 |issue=3 |pages=677–684 |doi=10.1016/j.fuel.2009.10.011 |issn=0016-2361|url-access=subscription }}</ref>