Comparative Yeild and Oil Quality of Toxic and Non-Toxic Mexican &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Jatropha curcas&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Grown in the Same Agroclimatic Conditions

Khandual Sanghamitra,Ramirez Victorin Oramas,Rout Nutan Prasad

doi:10.4236/ajps.2014.52030

Abstract

Jatropha curcas brings attention across the developing world for biodiesel production since it grows in tropical and subtropical climates with no other competing food uses. This crop is gaining popularity in Mexico for biofuel production. Currently, there are not many reports on the native varieties and their yield to estimate the feasibility of the particular genetic resource to use it as an economic crop. So in this part of work an agronomical evaluation of yield, oil content, fatty acid types and biodiesel conversion from the two native varieties of Jatropha curcas from Mexico were compared while being produced in the same agro-climatic condition. The varieties used were based on the phorbol ester content like toxic and nontoxic varieties collected from Yucatan and Veracruz. It was found that the oil content in the seeds of toxic variety was 57% and oil content of the nontoxic variety was 54% and also the seed yield is higher. The fatty acid content also varies among the two varieties like 21% and 23% in toxic and nontoxic varieties respectively. Again in the nontoxic variety the content of monosaturated fatty acid was higher, which suggests that better quality biodiesel may be expected from this genotype. Transestrification of the two kinds of oil was done using KOH as a catalyst, but no significant difference was observed in the conversion of biodiesel among the two types of oil from the two genotypes.

Highlights

Vegetable oil is a good option since it can be produced in rural areas, where there is an acute need for modern forms of energy and a sustainable way to produce renewable energy
Transesterification done by using KOH as a catalyst for both typesof Jatropha oil. This does not affect the biodiesel production quantity analyzed volumetrically. In both the cases we found biodiesel obtention was 86% of the oil and glycerin found 16%
Comparing the two native Jatropha curcas varieties we found that both are good at production level, and that there is not much significant difference

Summary

Introduction

Vegetable oil is a good option since it can be produced in rural areas, where there is an acute need for modern forms of energy and a sustainable way to produce renewable energy. Several vegetable oils, including palm oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, and canola oil have been used to produce biodiesel fuel and lubricants. In recent years there have been several studies going on using vegetable oils as a fuel in engines as biodiesel [1,2]. Inedible vegetable oils, mostly produced by seed-bearing trees and shrubs can provide an alternative. Jatropha curcas turns attention across the developing world for biodiesel production as it grows in tropical and subtropical climates without competing food crops [3]. This crop is very popular in Mexico for biofuel production. The Secretary for Agriculture announced in December 2007 that by the end of 2012 Mexico will dedicate approximately 300,000 hectares to the cultivation of crops for biofuel production

Methods

Results

Conclusion