The potential of biodiesel production derived from industrial fish waste using Sodium Methoxide as catalyst

Abstract

Petroleum based diesel is one of the largest greenhouse emitters in the worlds based on its contribution to more likely of all carbon monoxide and methane. Besides, the depletion of fossil fuel increased its price has force the global oil industry not to be so dependent on the fossil fuel and start focusing on looking at other alternative sources. Biodiesel is recognized as an alternative fuel that can reduce pollutant. In this study, the discarded part of mixed marine fish species were used as the raw material to produce biodiesel. Fish oil was extracted from discarded part of fish and refined through pretreatment process to reduce the amount of free fatty acid. The oil was the transesterified with methanol and sodium methoxide as an alkaline catalyst that will speed up the conversion of oil to methyl ester. The three process parameter were considered to study the effect of reaction time, temperature and methanol to oil molar ratio. Biodiesel obtained was then analyzed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography(HPLC). The result obtained in the study of reaction time, temperature and molar ratio of methanol to oil showed that the conversion of Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) yield are the highest in 120 minute, 60 ℃ and at 12:1 molar ratio respectively with FAME yield obtained are 58.37 %. Biodiesel obtained shows the presence of methyl stereate, methyl linolenate, and methyl oleate which the main components in biodiesel specification. It can be concluded that it was a success on producing biodiesel and the conversion of biodiesel increased as the reaction time, temperature and methanol to oil molar ratio increased.