Production and Evaluation of Fractionated Tamarind Seed Oil Methyl Esters as a New Source of Biodiesel

Ayesha Mushtaq, Muhammad Asif Hanif, Muhammad Zahid, Umer Rashid, Zahid Mushtaq, Muhammad Zubair, Bryan R. Moser and Fahad A. Alharthi
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Ayesha Mushtaq: Nano and Biomaterials Lab (NBL), Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
Muhammad Asif Hanif: Nano and Biomaterials Lab (NBL), Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
Muhammad Zahid: Materials Chemistry and Photocatalysis Lab (MCPL), Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
Umer Rashid: Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ION2), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Zahid Mushtaq: Bioactive Molecules Research Lab (BMRL), Department of Biochemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
Muhammad Zubair: Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat, Gujrat 50700, Pakistan
Bryan R. Moser: National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Bio-Oils Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Peoria, IL 61604, USA
Fahad A. Alharthi: Chemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 1145, Saudi Arabia

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-13

Abstract: Biodiesel has attracted considerable interest as an alternative biofuel due to its many advantages over conventional petroleum diesel such as inherent lubricity, low toxicity, renewable raw materials, biodegradability, superior flash point, and low carbon footprint. However, high production costs, poor low temperature operability, variability of fuel quality from different feedstocks, and low storage stability negatively impact more widespread adoption. In order to reduce production costs, inexpensive inedible oilseed alternatives are needed for biodiesel production. This study utilized inedible tamarind ( Tamarind indica ) seed oil as an alternative biodiesel feedstock, which contained linoleic (31.8%), oleic (17.1%), and lauric (12.0%) acids as the primary fatty acids. A simple and cost-effective high vacuum fractional distillation (HVFD) methodology was used to separate the oil into three fractions (F1, F2, and F3). Subsequent transesterification utilizing basic, acidic, and enzymatic catalysis produced biodiesel of consistent quality and overcame the problem of low temperature biodiesel performance. The most desirable biodiesel with regard to low temperature operability was produced from fractions F2 and F3, which were enriched in unsaturated fatty acids relative to tamarind seed oil. Other properties such as density and cetane number were within the limits specified in the American and European biodiesel standards.

Keywords: Tamarind; non-edible; fractionation; transesterification; biodiesel; fatty acid methyl esters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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