Recycling edible vegetable oils by using various types of alkali with alcohol to produce biodiesel and study its optical and physical properties

Abstract

In the present study, recycling edible oils which have been used in frying purposes of taamia, fish, potatoes, etc. are used to produce biodiesel in order to help in solving the fuel shortages and to share in the energy conservation efforts. Four types of biodiesels were prepared by treated the waste edible oil, firstly NaOH with methanol, secondly NaOH with ethanol, thirdly KOH with methanol, and fourthly KOH with ethanol. One liter of the cheapest and available used vegetable oils, 4gm of Alkali and 250ml of Alcohol was used for producing biodiesel. Optical tests for their absorption, density, viscosity and refractive index of the four produced biodiesels were compared with the fossil diesel (control biodiesel). The findings were showed that the properties of the prepared biodiesel samples are similar to the fossil diesel. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i2.10525 International Journal of the Environment Vol.3(2) 2014: 143-149

Advances in environmental science: a review of IJE papers (Vol. 3, Iss. 1 & 2)

“…Biofuels have received increasing popularity in the light of oil prices, the need for energy security, and for tackling climate change. Elbadawi et al (2014) describe a study where recycled edible oils from food production were used to produce biodiesel in order to help address fuel shortages and assist energy conservation efforts. The waste oils were collected and treated with either methanol, ethanol, sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, or a combination of these to produce four different types of biodiesels.…”