Abstract
The negative impacts of fossil fuel on the environment should be replaced by clean and sustainable energy sources worldwide. Therefore, the use of biodiesel as a clean energy source is crucial. Biodiesel is produced from various natural resources through a transesterification process. Considering the importance of this topic, this study focuses on the assessment of oil properties of Thymelaea hirsuta and Echinops spinosus as primary sources for biodiesel production. The two investigated plants were collected from the Western Desert of Egypt. The results showed that the lignocellulosic content was about 57.3 and 79.8 g/100 g in E. spinosus and 59.1 and 82.8 g/100 g in T. hirsuta, respectively. The two investigated samples showed variable lipid contents (30.2–76.1%). The GC-MS fatty acid profile characterized seven FAs in E. spinosus and twelf FAs in T. hirsuta. The greatest CN was calculated in T. hirsuta (379.2) compared to the lowest in E. spinosus (229.9). Furthermore, the values of saponification number (SN) were 27.9 in E. spinosus and 16.07 in T. hirsuta. The value of higher heating value (HHV) was about 47.5 MJ/kg in E. spinosus and 48.3 MJ/kg in T. hirsuta. Meanwhile, T. hirsuta exhibited a higher induction period (IP) value (19.3 h) comparable to that of E. spinosus (4.3 h). The results revealed that both plants are potential sources for biodiesel production according to various international standards for biodiesel production, and this work appears to be one of the first reports regarding such wild xerophytic plants as promising new primary sources for biodiesel production in Egypt.
Highlights
Energy is a key requirement for every country’s economic growth
The results revealed that both plants are potential sources for biodiesel production according to various international standards for biodiesel production, and this work appears to be one of the first reports regarding such wild xerophytic plants as promising new primary sources for biodiesel production in Egypt
Biodiesel production is considered as a potential alternative fuel to reduce the carbon footprint [65]
Summary
Energy is a key requirement for every country’s economic growth. As the world’s oil supplies have slowly declined [1,2], suitable alternative fuel sources are urgently needed. Biodiesel has supreme physiochemical properties compared to petro-diesel for example, low ash content, low carbon residue, and higher cetane number (a preferable advantage regarding emissions and engine performance) but other properties can be enhanced via blending processes [10]. Biodiesel viscosity, density, and oxygen contents are being from the most important factors in engine operation [11,12]. High oxygen contents improves the combustion proccess through raises its temperature and promotes full burning of the fuel, which effectively reducing carbon monoxide (CO), particular molecules (PM), and other harmful exhaust emissions in diesel engines [11,12]. Therefor, Viscosity, density and oxygen contents are important factors that immediately impacts the exhaust properities and combustion performance of an engine
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