Acid-catalyzed esterification of Zanthoxylum bungeanum seed oil with high free fatty acids for biodiesel production.
A technique to produce biodiesel from crude Zanthoxylum bungeanum seed oil (ZSO) with high free fatty acids (FFA) was developed. The acid value of ZSO was reduced to 1.16mg KOH/g from 45.51mg KOH/g by only one-step acid-catalyzed esterification with methanol-to-oil molar ratio 24:1, H(2)SO(4) 2%, temperature 60 degrees C and reaction time 80min, which was selected as optimum for the acid-catalyzed esterification. During the acid-catalyzed esterification, FFA was converted into fatty acid methyl esters, which was confirmed by (1)H NMR spectrum. Compared with the other two-step pretreatment procedure, this one-step pretreatment can reduce the production cost of ZSO biodiesel. Alkaline-catalyzed transesterification converted the pretreated ZSO into ZSO biodiesel. The yield of ZSO biodiesel was above 98% determined by (1)H NMR spectrum. This study supports the use of crude ZSO as a viable and valuable raw feedstock for biodiesel production.
Zhang
Junhua
J
College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China.
Jiang
Lifeng
L
D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D002384:Catalysis; D004951:Esterification; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D000432:Methanol; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013464:Sulfuric Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D032106:Zanthoxylum / Q000378:metabolism*
D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D010938:Plant Oils; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; C033158:sulfuric acid; D000432:Methanol