This research work
is focused on the investigation of the optimum
condition for parsley seed oil (PSO) trans-esterification using a
heterogeneous (CCB) and homogenous catalyst (KOH). The process parameters
(alcohol: oil ratio, temperature, and catalyst loading) were varied
to examine their effect on the percentage biodiesel yield using a
Box–Behnken design embedded
with the response surface methodology (RSM). Also, the heterogeneous
catalyst was synthesized by calcining waste chicken bones at 900 °C
for 4 h. Thereafter, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence
(XRF), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier-transform
infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis
were utilized to determine the morphology and elemental composition.
Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was also adopted to assess the effect
of calcination temperature on the prepared catalyst. The characterization
analysis revealed the presence of hydroxyapatite as the major component,
and the reusability test showed that it exhibited good catalytic performance
for PSO transesterification. However, the optimization study revealed
that the optimum reaction conditions of 9:1 alcohol: ratio, 60 °C
reaction temperature, and 3 wt % catalysts gave 90% biodiesel yield,
while the homogenous catalyst (used as the control transesterification
experiment) under the same conditions gave an average yield of 96.33%.
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was utilized
to characterize the produced biodiesel. Furthermore, the fuel characteristics
of biodiesel were within the specifications of the ASTM D6751.