Methyl esters (biodiesel) from Melanolepis multiglandulosa (alim) seed oil and their properties

ABSTRACT

Sufficient supply of feedstock oils is a major issue facing biodiesel production. In this work, methyl esters, also known as biodiesel, of the seed oil of Melanolepis multiglandulosa, a member of the Euphorbiaceae family, were prepared using standard conditions, with sodium methoxide as catalyst, and characterized regarding their fuel properties in relation to biodiesel standards. Melanolepis multiglandulosa methyl esters generally meet the requirements of biodiesel standards, with cold flow (cloud point of 5°C) likely being the major technical issue to resolve.

KEYWORDS:

• Biodiesel
• fatty acid methyl esters
• fuel properties
• Melanolepis multiglandulosa
• transesterification

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Kevin R. Steidley for excellent technical assistance, Kim Ascherl for ICP analysis, and Dr. Karl Vermillion for recording the NMR spectra, all of USDA/ARS/NCAUR and The Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) for funding seed gathering.

Disclaimer

Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the US Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.