Abstract
Increasing global energy demands have led to increased search for alternative sources of fuel. Due to its similarities with petroleum-based diesel, biodiesel arose as a potential replacement for diesel. In this study, biodiesel was produced from the seed oil of Vitex doniana (black plum) using a two-step catalyzed transesterification method. The biodiesel produced was also characterized. Physico-chemical analyses carried out on the produced biodiesel gave strong indication that it can serve as an alternative feedstock, having recorded a comparable flash point of 110 °C to American Society of Testing Materials and European Committee for Standardization standards; though kinematic viscosity measurements showed biodiesel products of relatively high viscosity which has the tendency to leave deposits on combustion. Spectroscopic analyses indicated successful transesterification with 95-98% biodiesel yield.
 
 Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2020, 34(1), 75-82. 
 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v34i1.7
Highlights
The increase in global demand for energy has given rise to increased search for alternative sources of fuel
High amount of FFA can lead to emulsification and present great difficulty during separation of the biodiesel from glycerol and during washing [4]
From the kinematic viscosity at 40 °C results as presented in Table 2 showing 12 mm2/s for biodiesel produced with ethoxide and biodiesel produced with methoxide as 11.72 mm2/s; it is clear that the biodiesels produced from Vitex doniana are way above the EN 14214:2008 and ASTM D6751-07b ranges of 3.5-5 mm2/s and 1.9-6 mm2/s, respectively, and may have the tendency to leave deposits on combustion
Summary
The increase in global demand for energy has given rise to increased search for alternative sources of fuel. Vitex doniana seed oil (0.5 g) was weighed into a dry conical flask and 20 mL of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) added to it. Vitex doniana seed oil (0.25 g) was weighed into a round bottomed flask and dissolved with 10 mL of 0.5 N ethanolic solution of potassium hydroxide and the solution was refluxed to ensure perfect dissolution. The oil of Vitex doniana seed (0.5 g) was weighed into a conical flask and dissolved with 25 mL mixture of acetic acid and chloroform (2 volume of glacial acetic acid and 1 volume of chloroform). The lower layer (glycerol) was tapped off and the upper layer (biodiesel) was washed 6 times with warm distilled water This same process was repeated for the oil that was pretreated with ethanol, in this case, ethanol was used instead of methanol. When the surface did not flow for 5 s, the temperature was recorded [18]
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