Appraisal of Biodiesel Prepared Via Acid Catalysis from Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (vol 43, pg 2205, 2019)

Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were successfully produced from non-edible palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD), which is a by-product of crude palm oil refining. Because of its high content of free fatty acids (86.3%), PFAD was subjected to simultaneous esterification and transesterification utilizing a sulfonated glucose-derived solid acid catalyst at 65 °C for 3 h in the presence of methanol to afford FAMEs in high yield (92.3%). Fuel properties of biodiesel were compared to ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 biodiesel standards. Acid (0.45 mg KOH g−1) and iodine (49 g I2 100 g−1) values as well as kinematic viscosity (4.85 mm2 s−1), density (870 kg m−3), dissolved water (30 ppm), flash point (178 °C), and sulfur content (0.1 ppm) were within the limits prescribed in the standards. PFAD biodiesel would require antioxidant additives to meet the oxidative stability specification listed in EN 14214. Overall, these results indicated that PFAD methyl esters are acceptable as biodiesel fuel. © 2018, Shiraz University.