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This study investigates the effect of antioxidant additives on oxidation stability of neat biodiesel and its diesel blends. Biodiesel was prepared by methanolic KOH catalyzed transesterification of Jatropha curcas oil. Various diesel-biodiesel blends (B10, B15, B20, and B25) were prepared with conventional diesel sold at retail outlets of Northern India. Butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA), butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT), pyrogallol (PL), propyl-gallate (PG), tert-butylhydroxyquinone (TBHQ), and diphenylamine (DPA) additives were selected for this study. Significant improvement in oxidation stability as well as in density and kinematic viscosity of diesel−biodiesel blends was obtained with all antioxidants studied. TBHQ, PG, and PL were found to be the most effective among all antioxidants tested, and their use in diesel−biodiesel blends showed a greater stabilizing potential. The properties of the blended fuel were not found consistent during the study. It may be due to composition of biodiesel, nature of antioxidant additives, and quality of diesel fuel.

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The antimicrobial activity of petroleum ether, benzene, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of Decalepis hamiltonii Wight and Arn. (Asclepiadaceae) against 15 different food‐related microorganisms was evaluated. Among the solvent extracts, methanolic and petroleum ether extracts are the most active exhibiting growth inhibition of 11 and nine of the 15 organisms, respectively. The inhibitory activity was comparable with the respective standards. The results suggest that methanolic and petroleum ether extracts can be used for the bioactivity‐guided isolation of novel antimicrobials which prevents food spoilage.

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