Search Results (365)

The paper investigates the process of degumming substandard soybean oil using an enzyme complex of phospholipases to prepare it as a feedstock for biodiesel production. Dehumidification is an important refining step aimed at reducing the phosphorus content, which exceeds the permissible limits according to ASTM, EN, and ISO standards, by re-moving phospholipids. The enzyme complex of phospholipases includes phospholipase C, which specifically targets phosphatidylinositol, and phospholipase A2, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of phospholipids into water-soluble phosphates and lysophospholipids. This process contributes to the efficient removal of phospholipids, increased neutral oil yield, and reduced residual oil in the humic phase. The use of an enzyme complex of phospholipases provides an innovative, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method of oil purification. The results of the study demonstrate the high efficiency of using the phospholipase enzyme complex in the processing of substandard soybean oil, which allows reducing the content of total phosphorus to 0.001% by weight, turning it into a high-quality raw material for biodiesel production. The proposed approach contributes to increasing the profitability of agricultural raw materials and the introduction of environmentally friendly technologies in the field of renewable energy. Full article

The environmental impact of first-generation biodiesel production, particularly deforestation and soil degradation caused by palm and soybean cultivation, has raised concerns about sustainability. In contrast, second-generation biodiesel utilizes waste as feedstock, offering a more sustainable alternative. Used cooking oil (UCO), a significant waste stream, represents a viable feedstock for biodiesel production, reducing pollution and mitigating economic, environmental, and social challenges. While Europe has demonstrated successful UCO waste management strategies, many regions lack efficient systems, leading to improper disposal that causes water eutrophication, soil degradation, and increased wastewater treatment costs. This study develops a comprehensive strategy for UCO management to optimize its energy potential in biodiesel production, using Barranquilla, Colombia, as a case study. Transesterification, identified as the most efficient conversion method, achieves conversion rates of up to 90%. A pilot project in the Barranquilla area estimates that 963,070.95 kg of UCO is generated annually, with the potential to produce 902,108.56 kg of biodiesel. These findings contribute to the advancement of circular economy principles, offering an adaptable framework for sustainable biofuel production in other regions. Full article

Biodiesel, a renewable and environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels, has attracted significant attention due to its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, high production costs and complex processing remain challenges. Heterogeneous catalysts have shown promise in overcoming these barriers by offering benefits, such as easy separation, reusability, low-cost raw materials, and the ability to reduce reaction times and energy consumption. This review evaluates key classes of heterogeneous catalysts, such as metal oxides, ion exchange resins, and zeolites, and their performance in transesterification and esterification processes. It highlights the importance of catalyst preparation methods, textural properties, including surface area, pore volume, and pore size, activation techniques, and critical operational parameters, like the methanol-to-oil ratio, temperature, time, catalyst loading, and reusability. The analysis reveals that catalysts supported on high surface area materials often achieve higher biodiesel yields, while metal oxides derived from natural sources provide cost-effective and sustainable options. Challenges, such as catalyst deactivation, sensitivity to feedstock composition, and variability in performance, are discussed. Overall, the findings underscore the potential of heterogeneous catalysts to enhance biodiesel production efficiency, although further optimization and standardized evaluation protocols are necessary for their broader industrial application. Full article

The harmful environmental impacts of fossil fuel combustion, particularly greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, have driven global interest in developing sustainable biodiesel alternatives. Pakistan imports 294.46 million tons of high-speed diesel (HSD) annually, costing approximately USD 140.237 million. A 10% biodiesel blend could save 29.446 million tons of HSD and USD 14.023 million annually. Fish waste, a significant byproduct of Pakistan’s fishing industry, offers a promising feedstock for biodiesel production. This study explores its conversion into biodiesel and evaluates performance in diesel engines, supporting sustainability and circular economy goals. This study produced fish waste biodiesel through two-step transesterification reactions, achieving a 68% conversion yield. The biodiesel exhibited properties within ASTM D6751 standards, with a calorific value of 40.47 MJ/kg and a cetane number of 55.92. Engine performance and emission tests on LOMBARDINI 15LD225 diesel engines showed significant CO emission reductions with B10 and B20 blends compared to conventional diesel. Simulation using Ricardo Wave software 2019.1 demonstrated a 90% model accuracy for predicting CO emissions. The findings highlight the viability of fish waste-derived biodiesel as a cleaner, renewable alternative to fossil diesel, supporting sustainability and circular economy goals. Full article

Agricultural waste poses significant environmental, economic, and social challenges globally, with estimates indicating that 10–50% of agricultural products are discarded annually as waste. This review explores strategies for managing agricultural waste to mitigate its adverse impacts and promote sustainable development. Agricultural residues, such as those from sugarcane, rice, and wheat, contribute to pollution when improperly disposed of through burning or burying, contaminating soil, water, and air. However, these residues also represent untapped resources for bioenergy production, composting, mulching, and the creation of value-added products like biochar, bioplastics, single-cell protein and biobased building blocks. The paper highlights various solutions, including integrating agricultural waste into livestock feed formulations to reduce competition for human food crops, producing biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel from lignocellulosic materials, and adopting circular economy practices to upcycle waste into high-value products. Technologies such as anaerobic digestion for biogas production and gasification for synthesis gas offer renewable energy alternatives and ample feedstocks for gas fermentation while addressing waste management issues. Composting and vermicomposting enhance soil fertility, while mulching improves moisture retention and reduces erosion. Moreover, the review emphasizes the importance of policy frameworks, public-private partnerships, and farmer education in promoting effective waste management practices. By implementing these strategies, agricultural waste can be transformed into a resource, contributing to food security, environmental conservation, and economic growth. Full article

This study aims to optimize the production of biodiesel from Blighia sapida (Ackee) seed oil, a non-edible and underutilized feedstock, as a sustainable alternative to conventional fossil-based diesel fuels. The transesterification of Blighia sapida seed oil was optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Box–Behnken experimental design. Three process variables, reaction time, temperature, and methanol-to-oil molar ratio, were selected for modeling biodiesel yield. The resulting biodiesel was characterized by physicochemical properties in accordance with ASTM D6751 standards. The optimal transesterification conditions were found to be 60 min, 60 °C, and a methanol-to-oil ratio of 3:1, yielding 98.36% biodiesel. This represents an improvement over the unoptimized yield of 94.3% at a 6:1 molar ratio. Experimental validation produced an average yield of 97.49%, confirming the model’s reliability. The produced biodiesel exhibited a kinematic viscosity of 4.02 mm²/s, cetane number of 54.6, flash point of 138 °C, and acid value of 0.421 mg KOH/g, which are all within the ASTM D6751 standard limits. This work is among the first to systematically optimize Blighia sapida biodiesel production using RSM. The results demonstrate its viability as a clean-burning, high-quality biodiesel fuel with promising fuel properties and environmental benefits. Its high cetane number and low methanol requirement enhance its combustion performance and production efficiency, positioning Blighia sapida as a competitive feedstock for sustainable biofuel development. Full article

Decarbonizing Oregon’s heavy-duty trucking sector, which accounts for 24% of the state’s transportation emissions, is essential for meeting carbon reduction targets. Drop-in fuels such as renewable diesel, biodiesel, and synthetic fuels provide an immediate and effective solution, reducing emissions by up to 80% while utilizing the existing diesel infrastructure. In 2023, Oregon’s heavy-duty trucks consumed 450 million gallons of diesel, with drop-in fuels making up 15% of the fuel mix. Renewable diesel, which is growing at a rate of 30% annually, accounted for 10% of this volume, thanks to incentives from Oregon’s Clean Fuels Program. By 2030, drop-in fuels could capture 40% of the market, reducing CO₂ emissions by 3.5 million metric tons annually, assuming continued policy support and advancements in feedstock sourcing. Meeting the projected demand of 200 million gallons annually and securing sustainable feedstock remain critical challenges. Advances in synthetic fuels, like Power-to-Liquids (PtL) from renewable energy, may further contribute to decarbonization, with costs expected to decrease by 20% over the next decade. Oregon aims for a 50% reduction in emissions from heavy-duty trucks by 2050, using a mix of drop-in fuels and emerging technologies. While hydrogen fuel cells and electric trucks face challenges, innovations in infrastructure and vehicle design will be key to the success of Oregon’s long-term decarbonization strategy. Full article

The high demand for sustainable biodiesel feedstocks has led to the exploration of innovative strategies to enhance lipid productivity in microalgae. This study introduces a push–pull strategy to optimize lipid accumulation in Nannochloropsis oculata. The benzyl amino purine (BAP) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) stimulation, acting as the ‘push’ component, significantly boost growth and nutrient stress tolerance. Meanwhile, the ‘pull’ component, nitrogen (N) deficiency, triggers lipid biosynthesis. A Box–Behnken design was employed to optimize the factors named BAP fraction (0–1), total phytohormone (PH) BAP/NAA mix dose (0–20 ppm), and N-concentration (0–50%). The combined BAP/NAA treatment significantly increased biomass (15% higher than the control) and mitigated N-stress with higher doses (20 ppm). Lipid yield surged from 12.4% to 38.87% under optimized conditions (23.25% N, 39.5 ppm NAA, and BAP fraction 0). The push–pull strategy contributed to boosting lipid synthesis and balancing biomass production. N-limitation and total PH dosage were the determining factors in this strategy. This work demonstrates the potential of the push–pull strategy in increasing lipid accumulation, offering a promising and optimistic solution for biodiesel production at scale from microalgae. By reducing dependence on fossil fuels, N. oculata emerges as a reliable feedstock for oil extraction and biodiesel. Full article

As fossil fuel depletion and environmental pollution become increasingly severe, biodiesel has emerged as a promising renewable alternative to conventional diesel due to its biodegradability, low sulfur emissions, and high combustion efficiency. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the evolution of biodiesel feedstocks, major production technologies, and key factors influencing production efficiency and fuel quality. It traces the development of feedstocks from first-generation edible oils, second-generation non-edible oils and waste fats, to third-generation microalgal oils and fourth-generation biofuels based on synthetic biology, with a comparative analysis of their respective advantages and limitations. Various production technologies such as transesterification, direct esterification, supercritical alcohol methods, and enzyme-catalyzed transesterification are examined in terms of reaction mechanisms, process conditions, and applicability. The effects of critical process parameters including the alcohol-to-oil molar ratio, reaction time, and temperature on biodiesel yield and quality are discussed in detail. Particular attention is given to the role of catalysts, including both homogeneous and heterogeneous types, in enhancing conversion efficiency. In addition, life cycle assessment (LCA) is briefly considered to evaluate the environmental impact and sustainability of biodiesel production. This review serves as a valuable reference for improving biodiesel production technologies, advancing sustainable feedstock development, and promoting the commercial application of biodiesel. Full article

This study examines the evolving role of canola biofuel in achieving energy security, analyzing its historical significance, current challenges, and prospects. Once a dominant feedstock for biodiesel production in Europe, canola biofuel is facing a decline in relevance due to the emergence of second- and third-generation biofuels, which offer greater economic and environmental advantages. The research highlights key factors influencing this shift, including high production costs, resource-intensive cultivation, and suboptimal life cycle environmental performance. Through correlation and causality analyses, the study finds no definitive relationship between oil prices and the frequency of scientific publications on canola biofuels, suggesting other drivers, such as policy and technological advancements, play a more significant role. Despite its diminishing prominence, canola biofuel retains value in energy diversification and rural agricultural support, due to geographic, policy, and investment constraints. The findings emphasize the need for prioritizing the development of more sustainable and efficient biofuel technologies to address global energy and environmental challenges. Full article

As global energy demand continues to rise, microalgae have gained attention as a promising feedstock for biofuel production due to their environmental adaptability and renewable nature. This study investigated the growth performance and stress tolerance of Desmodesmus sp. KNUA231 under varying pH and salinity conditions to evaluate its potential as a biofuel candidate. The strain was cultivated under controlled laboratory conditions and exhibited stable growth across a broad pH range (4–10) and moderate salinity levels (up to 5 g L⁻¹ NaCl), indicating its resilience to diverse environmental conditions. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis revealed that the biodiesel properties of Desmodesmus sp. KNUA231 comply with ASTM and EN standards in specific parameters, reinforcing its feasibility as a renewable biofuel feedstock. Additionally, its high calorific value (CV) suggests its potential as an energy-dense biomass source. The results of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP) analysis show that the soil is supplied with essential nutrients while minimizing heavy metal contamination, suggesting the possibility of biofertilizers. Although Desmodesmus sp. KNUA231 demonstrated promising characteristics for biofuel applications, further research is required to optimize large-scale cultivation and improve productivity for industrial applications. These findings highlight the potential of Desmodesmus sp. KNUA231 as a biofuel resource, particularly in non-optimal environmental conditions where pH and salinity fluctuations are common, contributing to the ongoing search for sustainable bioenergy solutions. Full article

Future energy security and consumption trends for energy products have stimulated the consumption of products such as bioethanol, biodiesel, or biogas, generated from non-petroleum sources. Therefore, the production of these products aims to increase its viability progressively. The supply chain (SC) approach enables the evaluation of the structures used to produce these types of bioenergy. Consequently, the identification of tools to represent the production stages of the SC and their articulation with the objective functions, as well as the strategies and solution software implemented in the design of SC for bioenergy products are presented throughout this bibliographic analysis. Based on systematic and narrative literature analysis, current trends and future research issues are performed. The bibliographic analysis has evidenced that the production of bioenergy is a research topic that has evolved in the last decades. Strategic decisions such as factory capacity and the location of production facilities are the most frequently used decision variables in the design of bioenergy SC. Similarly, it was found that the bioenergy SC designs have focused on the implementation of several feedstocks simultaneously. Finally, due to these evaluation and design trends, the bioenergy SC designs that include environmental and social objectives aimed at sustainability are a future relevant research issue. Full article

Due to the increasing demand for sustainable energy, non-edible oilseed crops are being explored as alternatives to traditional edible oils. Annona squamosa seeds are rich in oil content (24%/100 g) and often discarded as agricultural waste. Determination of mechanical properties of the seeds under compression loading is significant for designing machinery for its handling and processing. Thus, the present study assessed the effect of loading speeds, $LS,$ (5.0–25 mm/min) and moisture contents, $ms,$ (8.0–32.5%, db) on rupture force and energy, bioyield force and energy, deformation, and hardness at the seed’s horizontal and vertical orientations using a Testometric Universal Testing Machine. The results indicate that both $LS$ and $mc$ significantly ($p<0.05$) affect the mechanical properties of the seeds. Particularly, horizontal loading orientations consistently exhibited higher values for the selected compressive properties than vertical orientations, except for deformation at varying $LS$. The correlations between $LS$, $mc$, and the compressive parameters of the seed were mostly linear, at both orientations, with increasing $mc$ from 8.0 to 32.5% (db). High correlation coefficients ($R^2$) were obtained for the relationship between the studied parameters, $LS$, and $mc$. The data obtained would provide crucial insights into optimizing oil extraction processes by enabling the design of efficient machinery that accommodates the unique characteristics of the seeds. Thus, the findings contribute to the growing interest in alternative biodiesel feedstock, demonstrating that A. squamosa seeds can be repurposed for economic and environmental benefits. Full article

The objective of this work was to study the volumetric and transport properties of mixtures made up of biodiesel and diesel, in order to meet the desirable properties of these formulations for their practical applications. The volumetric and transport properties were analyzed for two pseudobinary mixtures constituted of diesel + beef tallow butyl ester biodiesel and diesel + waste cooking oil methyl ester biodiesel in the whole range of composition at 0.078 MPa. The study of butyl ester biodiesel was motivated by the scarcity of these properties’ data for butyl esters and the improvement of some of its physicochemical properties. The biofuels were previously transesterified from waste materials and alcohols, beef tallow with 1-butanol and cooking oil with methanol. Density measurements were performed in a vibrating tube densimeter from 293.15 to 363.15 K; the kinematic viscosity experiments were carried out in Cannon-Fenske viscometers from 293.15 to 343.15 K. The derived thermophysical properties evaluated were the excess molar volume, the partial molar volume, the thermal expansion coefficient, the dynamic viscosity and the viscosity deviation. The excess molar volumes presented positive and negative values. The Redlich–Kister correlation and the theoretical ERAS (Extended Real Association Solution) model were applied for modelling the excess molar volume. Both approaches resulted in good agreement. For viscosity, the McAllister model was implemented and yielded lower deviations for the butyl ester biodiesel. Full article

Municipal wastewater treatment plants produce vast amounts of sewage sludge as waste, with more than 80% dewatered sludge (DS). DS is a polymer-based sludge containing flocculant and extracellular polymeric substances, including lipids. Lipids can be converted into biodiesel as an alternative energy that reduces dependency on fossil fuels while helping cities manage waste more sustainably. Past studies explored the potential of lipids from various sewage sludges in biodiesel production. However, the potential of DS remains largely unexplored. This study evaluates the lipid extracted from DS and the potential of its fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) to be used as biodiesel. Lipid extraction was conducted under varying parameters, including temperatures of 70, 80, and 90 °C, extraction time of 2, 4, 6, and 8 h, and sludge-to-solvent (S/L) ratios of 0.05, 0.075, 0.1, 0.125, 0.15, and 0.175 g/mL. The optimal extraction conditions of 70 °C for 4 h at S/L of 0.175 g/mL yielded 1.71 ± 0.10% lipid. FTIR and TGA revealed that the DS lipids contain triglycerides, fatty acids, glycerol, and proteins. Transesterification of DS lipids produced DS FAME with a fatty acid profile ranging from C4:0 to C22:0. The evaluation of DS FAME revealed a high ester content (94.7%) of fatty acids ranging from C14:0 to C24:1, surpassing the minimum standard of 90% for biodiesel. The elevated proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in DS FAME is expected to result in a low melting point, reducing the solidifying effect and enhancing its performance as biodiesel. Full article