Premium
Reduction of Free Fatty Acids in Acidic Nonedible Oils by Modified K10 Clay
Author(s) -
Pires João,
Brasil Beatriz,
Araújo M. Eduarda M.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/s11746-012-2192-x
Subject(s) - chemistry , biodiesel , montmorillonite , biodiesel production , stearic acid , raw material , organic chemistry , biofuel , methanol , fatty acid , stearate , food science , catalysis , waste management , engineering
Biodiesel is a biofuel obtained from vegetable oils. The oils used as raw materials are usually refined edible vegetable oils. Nonedible acidic oils are unsuitable for biodiesel production unless reduction of the high content in free fatty acids (FFA) of these materials had been achieved. Obtaining a good raw material from unprofitable oils becomes an important research field. Additionally clays have a long history in industrial sorption and catalysis, some being commercially available and with properties that can be modified. In this work we present the results of the use of the montmorillonite clay K10 and two acid modified clays K10(I) and K10(II), in the esterification of stearic acid with methanol and 95 % of methyl stearate was obtained with K10(II). These clays were then used for the first time to reduce the acidity of enhanced FFA sunflower oil and they show to be very effective. Reduction of FFA from 11 to 4 % was obtained with K10(II) mainly due to 94 % conversion of FFA into fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). These clays were also tested with two waste oils, one from domestic use and the other gathered from different restaurants, and showed their ability to lower the acidity of these oils. Reactions were followed by 1 H NMR as well as quantitative determination of FFA and FAME. Clays were characterized by FTIR and XRD.