Comparative Study of the Physicochemical Characterization of Some Oils as Potential Feedstock for Biodiesel Production

Abstract

Physicochemical properties ofCucurbita pepo, Brachystegia eurycoma, Cucumis melo, Luffa cylindrica, andArachis hypogaeaoils were studied to determine their potential as viable feedstock for biodiesel production. The nonedible oils were extracted by solvent extraction using n-hexane while the oil ofArachis hypogaeawas procured. All the oils were characterized for specific gravity, pH, ash content, iodine value, acid value, saponification value, peroxide value, free fatty acid, flash point, kinematic viscosity, and refractive indices using standard methods.Cucurbita peposeeds had very high oil content when compared to the others. Specific gravity and flash point of the oils were satisfactory. However, moisture content of some of the oils exceeded the stipulated ASTM standard for biodiesel production. Again, acid values of the nonedible oils were very high and exceeded the ASTM standard. They also exceeded the acid value ofArachis hypogaeaoil except forLuffa cylindricaoil. Results indicate that the oils are potential biodiesel feedstocks. However, overall results indicate that the nonedible oils are not suitable for single-stage transesterification process to biodiesel but would be better suited for the two stage esterification and subsequent transesterification in order to obtain reasonable yields of the methyl esters.

An Experimental Investigation of Karanja Biodiesel Production in Sarawak, Malaysia

“…It has been reported that the amount of potassium hydroxide, KOH, that requires neutralizing the fatty acid contained in CKO is 1 mg of FAME [17][18][19]. According to Azhari et al [19], high amount of soap would be produced simultaneously when transesterification reaction of the feedstock contains a high amount of FFA than the required maximum amount of basic homogenous catalyst.…”

“…Hexane has been continuously refluxed until the colour of the hexane in the thimble is very clear. This process requires a longer period of time and only few amounts of oil recovered as compared to other technique [17,18]. The extracted CKO has been filtered and heated to eliminate solid impurities.…”

Characterization of a hydrolyzed oil obtained from fish waste for nutraceutical application

“…Dils are classified as drying, semi drying and non-drying on the basis of iodine value. Dils with an iodine value above 125 g I2 /100 g are classified as drying oils; those with iodine value between 110 and 140 g I2 /100 g are classified as semidrying oils and those with iodine value less than 110 g I2 /100 g are considered as nondrying oils (Ibeto et al, 2012). The characterized fish oils through different process were semidrying oils except hydrolyzed oil which was nondrying oil.…”

A study of production and characterization of Manketti (Ricinodendron rautonemii) methyl ester and its blends as a potential biodiesel feedstock

“…However, availability of these raw materials varies. This necessitates the search for new low-cost agricultural crops (Ibeto et al, 2012;Atabani et al, 2013c). Globally, there are more than 350 oil-bearing crops identified for biodiesel production (Atabani et al, 2012).…”