Biodiesel synthesis from photoautotrophic cultivated oleoginous microalgae using a sand dollar catalyst

Abstract

The aim of this study was to synthesize a calcined sand dollar (CSD), Clypeaster reticulatus as a green mixed oxide CaO-MgO solid catalyst through a thermal degradation method for transesterification of Nannochloropsis oculata (N. oculata) microalgae derived crude oil. The catalysts characterizations were carried out by TG/DTA, XRD, FTIR, TPD-CO 2 , SEM and ICP-AES analysis, respectively. Formation of binary phase solid oxides i.e. CaO and MgO were confirmed at a calcination temperature of 800 C. The effect of the reaction parameters i.e. catalyst amount, methanol/oil molar ratio, reaction temperature and time were evaluated for the transesterification reaction. The photoautotrophic microalgae propagation produced lipids with 25.8 AE 4.5% of total lipids, 18.5 AE 1.8% of crude lipids and 12.8 AE 2.6% of neutral lipids, respectively. Interestingly, the produced N. oculata biodiesel using this process revealed an insignificant change in FAME composition, which comprised mostly C16:0 and C16:1, similar to conventional biodiesel.Under the conditions tested, the catalyst showed a 90% yield of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) at ideal reaction variables of 3 wt% of catalyst loading, 60 C, 30 : 1 of methanol/oil, and 3 h reaction time.

Active Razor Shell CaO Catalyst Synthesis for Jatropha Methyl Ester Production via Optimized Two-Step Transesterification

“…The parametric optimal results are ascertained with previously published results[22][23][24]49]. Further, the Razor shell CaO performance as a catalyst in converting the triglycerides of JCO to JME is comparable with literature reports by Tan et al [14], Margaretha et al [19], De Sousa et al [21], Roschat et al [50], McDevitt and Baun [51], Nasrazadani and Eureste [52], Zaki et al [53], Mirghiasi et al [54], Teo et al[55], and Chen et al[56].…”

Optimizing the catalytic activities of methanol and thermotolerant Kocuria flava lipases for biodiesel production from cooking oil wastes

“…One of the most prominent potential renewable energy resources is biodiesel replacing the existing petroleum diesel due to its non-toxicity, eco-friendly and biodegradability 5 . Biodiesel is produced by transesterification/esterification methods through reacting fats/oils with short-chain alcohols in the presence of a homogenous chemical catalyst or solid heterogeneous chemical catalyst or enzyme biocatalysts 6 – 8 . The use of a homogenous chemical catalyst (KOH, NaOH, CH 3 ONa, HCl, H 3 PO 4 and H 2 SO 4 ) for chemical transesterification of lipids/fats has serious limitations, such as extensive downstream processing, the need for multiple purification steps, unused catalyst, soap formation and need for extensive wastewater treatment 9 .…”

“…These drawbacks have gained significant attention in the search for different heterogeneous catalyst technologies for biodiesel synthesis. Recently, several studies stated solid basic or acidic heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel production including, solid ferric hydrogen sulphate [Fe(HSO 4 ) 3 ] 10 , KF and NaNO 3 catalysts 11 , Calcined dolomite 12 , Calcium lanthanum mixed oxide 13 , Bi 2 O 3 –La 2 O 3 14 , calcium methoxide 15 , g-Al 2 O 3 /KI 16 , metal-doped methoxide 17 , sucrose-derived solid acid 18 , natural CaO 19 , sulfonated functionalized carbon 20 , ZrO 2 21 , Methoxy-functionalized mesostructured stable carbon 22 , sand dollar 8 . The application of these heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel production overwhelms the homogeneous catalysts drawbacks due to their feasibility, easily recovered processes, tolerance to feedstock moisture and free fatty acid contents and reusability 13 .…”

Algae derived biodiesel using nanocatalytic transesterification process

“…13(b)). A conclusion has been also reached by Teo et al (2015) that the catalyst might be deactivated by the impurities e.g., phospholipids and moisture presence in the reaction medium.…”

“…00-037-1497) could be associated to the CaO phase. The main peaks at 2Â values of 10.8 • was attributed to the Ca(OCH 3 ) 2 catalyst (Teo et al, 2015). In addition, three peaks at 2Â of 17.8 • , 28.6 • and 34.0 • was corresponds to the existence of Ca(OH) 2 (JCPDS file No: 01-84-1264) which could be formed due to the interaction of the catalyst with the water molecules.…”