A Preliminary Study on Biodiesel Production Using Waste Cooking Oil as the Feedstock

DOI

No DOI

Published In

Volume 4, Issue 1 (2023)

Published Online

January-February 2023

Pages

82-92

Article Type

Research Article

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Abstract: Waste cooking oil (WCO) refers to edible oil that has previously been used for frying and cooking purposes. If disposed unscientifically, the used cooking oil cannot only be a health hazard but also pose a potential threat to the environment. Unique properties of biodiesel, such as an appreciable reduction in renewability, greenhouse gas emissions, non-sulfur emissions, non-particulate matter pollutants, low toxicity, and biodegradability, make it the best replacement for petrodiesel. The aim of the present study, titled "A preliminary study on biodiesel production using waste cooking oil as the feedstock,” was to produce biodiesel from a sample of waste cooking oil on a laboratory scale using transesterification, a catalyzed chemical reaction involving oil and alcohol to yield fatty acid alkali esters and glycerol. The influence of catalyst and free fatty acids on the yield of biodiesel produced was also considered. The characterization of the produced product was conducted using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Some of the crucial parameters of biodiesel, such as (density, calorific value, acid value, iodine value, and % ash content) were also analyzed. The results of this study depict that waste cooking oil can be effectively used as a feedstock for biodiesel production, as the crude product yield obtained was above 90%. The use of waste cooking oil (WCO) as the feedstock for biodiesel production plays a significant role in waste resource reuse and renewable energy production. Thus, converting waste cooking oil to biodiesel, a substitute for petrodiesel, helps to meet rising energy demand without harming the environment by reducing reliance on fossil fuels.