Characterization and Physicochemical Properties of Biodiesel Produced from Castor Oil Using Refluxed Calcined Snail Shell

Muhammad Sabiu Jibrin; Chika Muhammad; Mukhtar Muhammad; Aliyu Sarkin Baki; Dhikrah Ibrahim

Authors

Muhammad Sabiu Jibrin Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, P.M.B. 2346, Sokoto, Nigeria
Chika Muhammad Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, P.M.B. 2346, Sokoto, Nigeria
Mukhtar Muhammad Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, P.M.B. 2346, Sokoto, Nigeria
Aliyu Sarkin Baki Department of Microbiology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, P.M.B. 2346, Sokoto, Nigeria
Dhikrah Ibrahim Department of Microbiology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, P.M.B. 2346, Sokoto, Nigeria

Keywords:

castor seed, refluxed calcined snail shell, characterization, snail shell, biodiesel and methyl ester

Abstract

In this work, biodiesel was produced from castor oil using CaO obtained from snail shell as a catalyst. The castor oil was extracted using soxhlet extraction method and pretreated in order to upgrade it physicochemical properties for efficient transesterification reaction. The catalyst used was prepared from snail shell using the hydrothermal method and characterized using FTIR and TGA/DTA analysis. The yield of biodiesel produced is 99.68 %. The methyl ester yield was analyzed using GC-MS as 99.12 %. The major methyl ester compositions in the biodiesel produced are (86.18 %) 9- octadecenoic acid- 12- hydroxyl-, methyl ester, [R- (Z)]-, (10.06 %) 9- 0ctadecenoic acid [Z]-, methyl ester,(1.19 %) Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester and (1.17 %) Methyl stearate. The physicochemical properties of biodiesel produced show that the biodiesel produced may be used in a diesel engine with little modifications or blend with conventional diesel.