Sustainable Production of Biodiesel from Novel Non-Edible Oil Seeds ( Descurainia sophia L.) via Green Nano CeO 2 Catalyst

Maryam Tanveer Akhtar, Mushtaq Ahmad (), Mohamed Fawzy Ramadan, Trobjon Makhkamov, Akramjon Yuldashev, Oybek Mamarakhimov, Mamoona Munir, Maliha Asma, Muhammad Zafar and Salman Majeed
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Maryam Tanveer Akhtar: Department of Environmental Science, International Islamic University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Mushtaq Ahmad: Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
Mohamed Fawzy Ramadan: Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21961, Saudi Arabia
Trobjon Makhkamov: Department of Forestry and Landscape Design, Tashkent State Agrarian University, 2 A., Universitet Str., Kibray District, Tashkent 100700, Uzbekistan
Akramjon Yuldashev: Department of Ecology and Botany, Andijan State University, 129, Universitet Str., Andijan 170100, Uzbekistan
Oybek Mamarakhimov: Department of Ecology Monitoring, National University of Uzbekistan, 4 University Street, Tashkent 100174, Uzbekistan
Mamoona Munir: Department of Botany, Rawalpindi Women University, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi 46300, Pakistan
Maliha Asma: Department of Environmental Science, International Islamic University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Muhammad Zafar: Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
Salman Majeed: Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 3, 1-26

Abstract: The current study focuses on the synthesis of Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanocatalyst via Tragacanth Gum (TG) using the wet impregnation method and its application for sustainable biodiesel production from a novel, non-edible Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl seed oil. The D. sophia seed oil has higher oil content (36 wt%) and free fatty acid (FFA) value (0.6 mg KOH/g). Innovative analytical methods, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, were used to characterize the newly synthesized, environmentally friendly, and recyclable CeO 2 -TG phytonanocatalyst (FT-IR). The results show that the CeO 2 -TG phytonanocatalyst was 22 nm in diameter with a spherical shape outer morphology, while the inner structure was hexagonal. Due to low FFA content, the D. sophia seed oil was pretreated and transesterified via a single step. Using varying parameters, the optimized process variables were determined via Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The optimum process values were 8:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, 0.3 wt% catalyst concentration, 90 °C temperature, and reaction time of 210 min with 98% biodiesel yield. The recently created phytonanocatalyst was reliable and effective, with three times reusability in the transesterification reaction. Thin layer chromatography (TLC), FT-IR, gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GCMS), and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses were used to characterize the synthesized biodiesel. Physico-chemical properties of D. sophia biodiesel, i.e., Kinematic viscosity (4.23 mm 2 /s), density (0.800 kg/m 3 ), pour point (−7 °C), cloud point (−12 °C), and flash point (73.5 °C) agree well with international biodiesel standards (ASTM-6751, 951), (EU-14214), and China (GB/T 20828) standards. The results show that the synthesized nanocatalyst demonstrated remarkable stability, indicating a bright future for industrial biodiesel production from low-cost feedstock.

Keywords: non-edible seed oil; phytonanocatalyst; response surface methodology; catalyst reusability; physicochemical properties (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: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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