Garden cress (Lepidium sativum Linn.) seed oil as a potential feedstock for biodiesel production.
Lepidium sativum L. (garden cress) is a fast growing annual herb, native to Egypt and west Asia but widely cultivated in temperate climates throughout the world. L. sativum seed oil (LSO) extracted from plants grown in Tunisia was analyzed to determine whether it has potential as a raw material for biodiesel production. The oil content of the seeds was 26.77%, mainly composed of polyunsaturated (42.23%) and monounsaturated (39.62%) fatty acids. Methyl esters (LSOMEs) were prepared by base-catalyzed transesterification with a conversion rate of 96.8%. The kinematic viscosity (1.92 mm(2)/s), cetane number (49.23), gross heat value (40.45), and other fuel properties were within the limits for biodiesel specified by the ASTM (American Standard for Testing and Materials). This study showed that LSOMEs have the potential to supplement petroleum-based diesel.
King Saud University, College of Science, Chemistry Department, PO Box 2455, 1145 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. inahdi@ksu.edu.sa
Imededdine Arbi
IA
Nehdi
Hassen
H
Sbihi
Chin Ping
CP
Tan
Saud Ibrahim
SI
Al-Resayes
D056804:Biofuels / Q000032:analysis*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D002384:Catalysis; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D057168:Distillation; D004952:Esters / Q000378:metabolism; D006358:Hot Temperature; D031220:Lepidium sativum / Q000378:metabolism*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000378:metabolism*; D012031:Refractometry; D012212:Rheology; D012639:Seeds / Q000378:metabolism*; D013455:Sulfur / Q000032:analysis; D014783:Viscosity; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D056804:Biofuels; D004952:Esters; D010938:Plant Oils; D014867:Water; D013455:Sulfur; D002244:Carbon