A renewable lipid source for biolubricant feedstock oil from housefly (Musca domestica) larva

Abstract

Biolubricants are gaining increased attention because of their low toxicity, high biodegradability, and miscibility with additives. These features render them ideal for lubrication, especially in total-loss processes. In this study, housefly (Musca domestica) larvae were used as low-cost, non-food biolubricant feedstock. A larval lipid with high acid value (AV) of 63 mg KOH/g was used as feedstock for esterification to produce 2-ethylhexyl fatty acid esters (2-EH esters). We developed a method of producing high-purity 2-EH esters in which housefly larva free fatty acids (HLFFAs) were derived from larvae fed with kitchen waste. HLFFAs were esterified with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol (2-EHOH) catalysed with benzenesulfonic acid (BSA). The optimum esterification conditions were as follows: catalyst loading, 0.5 wt%; 2-EHOH-to-HLFFAs molar ratio, 3:1; temperature, 130 °C; and reaction time, 2 h. These conditions yielded 98.6% esterification rate. Excess 2-EHOH was removed by molecular distillation at 80 Pa and 110 °C. Residual fatty acids were neutralised by alkali refining. The chemical and physical properties, including the tribological properties, of the produced high-purity 2-EH esters (>99.7%) were also tested.