Optimization of fatty acid profile and synthesis of biodiesel from mixing Salvodara persica and Leucas aspera seed oils: Critical analysis of fuel properties

Abstract

The alternative and renewable sources of energy are very much essential to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels and also to control the environmental pollution. One of the important renewable sources which replace the fossil based fuels is biodiesel. The biodiesel is highly influenced by fatty acid composition. Hence, in the present work Salvodara persica nonedible seed oil (38% oil content) which is rich in saturated fatty acids (79.16%) is mixed with Leucas aspera nonedible seed oil (22.50% oil content), which is rich in unsaturated fatty acids (90.72%) in equal proportion (1:1). The mixed seed oil fatty acid profile is analyzed by GC-FID which shows that, it is exactly half of the fatty acid profile of individual seed oils (saturation 45.26% and unsaturation 54.74%). Bio-mixed oil is transesterified and the biodiesel produced is characterized for its fuel properties. The fuel properties of biodiesel produced from mixed seed oils is compared with biodiesel from individual seed oils, already existing biodiesels and biodiesel standards. It reveals that better quality biodiesel is produced by mixing seed oil strategy. Even the emission analysis shows that the emissions are reduced except NOx. This work reveals that it is one of the important criterions to improve the biodiesel quality by mixed seed oil strategy.