Abstract
Due to thegrowing awareness of fossil fuel depletion and environmental issues, biodiesel alternative fuel is currently of substantial interest. This research assessed herbal industry wastes as a potential resource for biodiesel production for the first time. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), obtained in the transesterification reaction, were extracted from the herbal samples by ultrasound-assisted extraction and identified withgas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode. The presence of at least 20 (e.g., in chamomile and chicory) FAMEs, up to 31 in nettle and senna, was reported. The unsaturated FAMEs were found in higher amounts than saturated. Linoleic acidwas the major polyunsaturated FAME in herbal wastes, while palmitic acid was the major saturated FAME. The highest content of FAMEs was identified in rye bran, Figure tea, and chicory. According to the cetane number prediction, BS EN 14214:2012+A2:2019, and hierarchical clustering on principal components (HCPC)wastes from, e.g., nettle, sage, and senna, are the most suitable in biodiesel production with fuel properties acceptable by the EuropeanStandards.Principal component analysis and HCPC allowed to classify and groupsimilar plants according to their FAMEs content; however, additional studies of herbal biofuel properties are needed.
Highlights
Extensive use of fossil fuels causes environmental pollution, global warming, and depletion of non-renewable energy resources [1]
The identification of the fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) was performed to characterize the herbal industry wastes as a potential feedstock for biodiesel production using a transesterification reaction
principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering on principal components (HCPC) were performed to classify sixteen herbal wastes based on the content of FAMEs in each sample (n = 3), simplify data analyzed and determine their potential application as a source for biodiesel production
Summary
Extensive use of fossil fuels causes environmental pollution, global warming, and depletion of non-renewable energy resources [1]. Exploring alternative energy sources can help in the reduction of fossil fuel consumption. Biodiesel is a mixture of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) obtained by the triglycerides transesterification. E.g., cetane number, density, flash point, oxidative stability, and viscosity, depend on the structure of its components, especially FAMEs [4]. The properties of an individual fatty acid depend on the chain length, branched chains, and double bonds [5]. The longer the chain length, the higher the fuel viscosity, but cis double bonds lower the viscosity. All biodiesel samples contain saturated (SFAs), monounsaturated (MUFAs), and polyunsaturated (PUFAs) fatty acids. An ideal biodiesel composition should contain mainly MUFAs, and should have fewer
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