Biodiesel production from Caulerpa racemosa (macroalgae) oil

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2014

The production of biodiesel can be accomplished using a variety of feedstock sources. Plant and microalgae based feedstocks are prominent and are studied extensively. Plant based feedstocks cultivated as monoculture on wastelands and trees in forests can cater towards partial fulfillment of feedstock requirements for biodiesel industry. Synthesis of biodiesel from microalgal oil has gathered immense interest and has potential to cater to the increasing feedstocks demands of the biodiesel industry. The major advantage offered by microalgal oil, as compared to plant based oils, is its potential for culture on non-arable land. Despite of the advantages of microalgal oil as a feedstock for biodiesel, there are constraints that have to be overcome in order to make it economical and sustainable. Sustainable approaches for both the plant and microalgae as feedstocks have been drawn. Despite there being several plant species, few have been found to be desirable as feedstocks for biodiesel production based on their lipid profiles. Among the microalgae, there are thousands of species and several of these have been cultured for extracting the oil to explore their feasibility in utilization as biodiesel feedstocks. Though, several of the microalgal species have shown potential for high biomass growth and lipid productivity, only a few have been found to provide a high biodiesel yield and conversion. Due to the several steps involved in the extraction of oil which are energy intensive, the cost of biodiesel from microalgal oil is high as compared with that obtained from the plant oils. A sustainable approach for utilizing plant and microalgal oils as feedstocks for biodiesel have been discussed. The emerging cost effective methods in production of biodiesel have been described. The energy return and greenhouse gas emissions from biodiesel have been outlined. Together, the plant oil and microalgal oil can offer potential source of feedstocks for the production of biodiesel.

Microalgae with their higher growth rate and oil volume can be counted on as a new source of producing biodiesel. Chlorella vulgaris microalgae have been used in this study for producing biodiesel. From one germinator device was used as the culture room. The optimum temperature for cultivation was adjusted, 25ºC; pH, 7; Light intensity, 3500 Lux. Due to stiffness of cell envelope of this type of microalgae, the cell envelope was broken using Ultrasonic device in 40°C. The biodiesel produced from transesterification methods was analyzed by gas chromatograph (GC). The biodiesel samples were characterized in accordance with American standard specification for biodiesel (ASTM D6751) and European standard specifications for biodiesel (EN14214) protocols. 18-carbon fatty acids with 51.3% constitute the most fatty acids presence. Olecic acid with 28.10%, Palmitic acid with 24%, Linolelaidic acid with 16.7%, Linolenic acid with 10.6% and Linoleic acid 10% assign the biggest share to themselves respectively. The resultant biodiesel was evaluated for physic-chemical properties namely kinematic viscosity (4.8 mm2/s), density (870 kg/m3), flash point (140 °C), cetane number (60), cloud point (0 °C), pour point (-11 °C), heating value (41MJ/kg). Although the presence of some unsaturated fatty acids increased the pour and cloud point of the biodiesel, the microalgae with its high growth rate however can be considered as a proper source of biodiesel production.

Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition, 2023

Biodiesel is a renewable and clean fuel as it reduces carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter emissions compared with petroleumbased diesel fuel. Biodiesel is a long-chain fatty acid ester made from renewed and biological raw materials such as used cooking, animal fat, vegetable oil, and algae. Production of biodiesel from renewable resources is done through the transesterification reaction at which the organic group (alkyl) of alcohol is substituted with the organic group of a triglyceride-the main component of the feedstock-producing fatty acid alkyl ester (biodiesel) and crude glycerol. Biodiesel can be used in pure form (B100) or may be blended with petroleum diesel at any concentration if its specifications is identical to the international standard specifications provided by American standard for testing materials (ASTM) or EN14214 in the European Union for alternative fuels. This study deals with different types of feedstocks treatment methods, and biodiesel production technologies. Various changes were made within the transesterification techniques that lead to varied physical properties of biodiesel and amounts of biodiesel.

Journal of Stock & Forex Trading, 2012

Algae are the fastest-growing plants on the earth, this study demonstrates the culturing of algal strain on MBM, CHU13 media and production of algal biodiesel from Scenedesmus dimorphus, biodiesel is an alternative fuel for conventional diesel that is made from natural plant oils, animal fats, and waste cooking oils. This paper discusses the economics of producing oil from algae by soxhlet, ultrasonic wave, and expeller method grown in open ponds. Microalgae have been identified as a potential biodiesel feedstock due to their high lipid productivity and the process conditions are milder than those required for pyrolysis and prevent the formation of by-products. Algae are very important as a biomass source. Analysis of algal oil by TLC, and paper chromatography, algae will someday be competitive as a source for biofuel. Algae can be grown almost anywhere, even on sewage or salt water, and does not require fertile land or food crops, and processing requires less energy than the algae provides. Algae can be a replacement for oil based fuels, one that is more effective and has no disadvantages. About 50% of algal oil converted to biodiesel by transesterification process. This microalgal oil can be used to make biofuels for bus, and other vehicles.

2013

Transesterification is an effective method to produce significant levels of biodiesel from renewable resources like plant oils and animal fats. Macroalgae is one of the inexpensive sources of oil feedstock for biodiesel production which is abundantly available in the sea areas. In this study algae oil was extracted from several types of macroalgae species namely L. Epiphytic, Cladophora, Agardhiella, Gracilaria, Spirogyra and Bryopsis Pennata. And their oils were then converted into biodiesel by the transesterification process. The extraction of algae oil from macroalgae was accomplished through Soxhlet method. The fuel properties of biodiesel was characterized through FTIR analysis and found to be similar chemical composition as to petroleum diesel. In addition, the highest yield was found (92%) at methanol to oil ratio 4:1, catalyst 1.0 wt% (KOH) in heating with stirring.

Energies

The potential of Caulerpa lentillifera, Gracilaria coronopifolia and Chaetomorpha linum, as biomass feedstock was investigated in this study. It was concluded that seaweed is more suitable for bio-based products synthesis, i.e., bioplastic and bio-lubricants, instead of biofuels due to its relatively low calorific value (~12 MJ/kg). Since seaweed has high moisture content (~80%), hydrothermal liquefaction is recommended, and its efficiency can be further enhanced through microwave technology. Besides, it is found that the thermal degradation of seaweed was best described with the reaction order of 1. The kinetic results also indicated that seaweed consists of lower activation energy (<30 kJ/mol) in comparison with terrestrial biomass (50–170 kJ/mol). Hence, seaweed has a high potential to be used as biomass feedstock, particularly Chaetomorpha linum, as it has no conflict with other interests. Lastly, acetic-acid pre-treatment was suggested to be an optional process in order to i...

Current World Environment, 2015

Microalgae chlorella is an organism capable of photosynthesis that is less than 2mm in diameter. The biodiesel extracted from algae using chloroform/methanol extraction solvent system then undergone three different transesterification processes based on three different catalysts viz. Alkali catalyst, Acid catalyst and Enzymatic catalyst with two temperature (50°C and 60 °C) and with 1:5 methanol to bio-oil ratio. After transesterification using different catalysts, the fuel properties were measured. All the properties were compared with standard value of ASTM D 6751 standards. Alkali catalyst yield highest biodiesel (92 %) at 60 °C temperature. Also, the closest value of different fuel properties found at par with standard value of ASTM D 6751 standards viz. moisture content, carbon residue, calorific value, specific gravity, acid value, flash point, viscosity, density, viscosity were found to be 0.01%, 0.04%, 40.41 MJ/kg, 0.83, 0.23 mg KOH/g, 143.67 °C, 5.16 mm2/s, 0.83 g/cm3 respe...

In view of increasing energy demand, climate change, increasing price of petroleum and fast depleting fossil fuel resources, the urgent need of finding alternatives fuels is being felt all over the world. Presently, the microalgae, are viewed as potential 3 rd generation source of biodiesel due to significant advantages over terrestrial seed oil plants. The paper attempts theoretically to assess the potential of oils from six microalgae species available in north part of India for the production of biodiesel on the basis on oxidation stability index and Oxidizability. Based on the fatty acid compositions, APE and BAPE are find theoretically. On the basis of APE and BAPE, oxidation stability index and oxidizability have been assessed. The grading of oils in terms of OSI and OX helps to select the potential feed stocks for biodiesel production and discard the other feed stocks that may require considerable efforts to improve the oxidation stability. It is concluded that the oils can b...

Algae and Environmental Sustainability, 2015

Microalgal oil has been a source for production of biofuels such as bio-oil and biodiesel. These two biofuels can be characterized quantitatively using advanced instrumentation techniques. Nile Red fluorescence method, PAM fluorometry, NMR, GC/GC-MS and FTIR are among the major techniques available for characterization and quantification of algal oil. NMR is a rapid and nondestructive analytical technique as it requires minimal sample preparation and even one intact algal cell can be analyzed. It can also be used for continuous monitoring of cellular composition of algal culture. NMR can be used to monitor transesterification reactions and oxidation of lipids and biodiesel components. GC has remained the most widely used analytical technique for fatty acid profile analysis. GC-MS is a destructive analytical technique as derivatization of algal oil is required owing to its poor volatility and hence involves lengthy sample preparation procedure. FTIR is a relatively inexpensive technique, and like NMR, can analyze intact cells with scanning time in the order of seconds. FTIR may offer high signal-to-noise ratio and can also be used to monitor transesterification.

African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 2013

In the current study, biodiesel production efficiency of C hlorella vulgaris, Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum and mixed algae culture was measured by transesterification process. Growth rate of algal species was measured on the basis of increase in their dry matter in various media. Protein, carbohydrates and lipids in all selected algae were measured on dry matter basis. Extracted oil was analyzed for water contents, iodine value, saponification value, acid number and fatty acid composition. Transesterification of algal oil was performed by using sodium methoxide as a catalyst. Yield of biodiesel from extracted oil was calculated for C. vulgaris (95%), R. hieroglyphicum (91%) and mixed algae culture (92%). Produced biodiesel was analyzed for kinematic viscosity (4.9, 5.0 and 4.7 mm2/s), flash point (160, 156 and 155°C), specific gravity (0.91, 0.914 and 0.912 g/ml), cetain number (51, 49 and 47 min), iodine value (47, 53 and 49 mg/g), acid number (0.49, 0.5 and 0.46 mg.KOH/g), carbon r...

Journal of Engineering Science and Technology Review, 2015

Biofuels are gaining importance as significant substitutes for the depleting fossil fuels. Recent focus is on microalgae as the third generation feedstock. In the present research work, two indigenous fresh water and two marine Chlorophyte strains have been cultivated successfully under laboratory conditions using commercial fertilizer (Nutrileaf 30-10-10, initial concentration=70 g/m 3) as nutrient source. Gas chromatographic analysis data showed that microalgae biodiesel obtained from Chlorophyte strains biomass were composed of fatty acid methyl esters. The produced microalgae biodiesel achieved a range of 2.2-10.6 % total lipid content and an unsaturated FAME content between 49 mol% and 59 mol%. The iodine value, the cetane number, the cold filter plugging point, the oxidative stability as well as combustion specific characteristics of the final biodiesels were determined based on the compositions of the four microalgae strains. The calculated biodiesel properties compared then with the corresponding properties of biodiesel from known vegetable oils, from other algae strains and with the specifications in the EU (EN 14214) and US (ASTM D6751) standards. The derived biodiesels from indigenous Chlorophyte algae were significantly comparable in quality with other biodiesels.

International Journal of Emerging Trends in Science and Technology, 2018

Due to continuous use of present source (fossil fuel) mainly cause the pollution to the environment and also negative effect on availability of the oil reservoirs necessitates developing renewable fuels to replace petroleum-based fuels. Investigation of feasibility of biodiesel produced from microalgae. One of the main challenges in algal oil is the poor quality that is efficiency of the biodiesel, which is mainly, depends upon the fatty acid in algal-oil. Algal biodiesel having property for efficiency, which is produced from biomass of microalgae to produce lipids, which is key factor for production of biodiesel in large amounts and within short periods of time with zero net carbon dioxide (CO 2) emission. Indeed, Algal biodiesel can be considered as a potential source of renewable energy with no limitation like hydro or nuclear power relies on their sources.

Energies

Microalgae are considered to be potentially attractive feedstocks for biodiesel production, mainly due to their fast growth rate and high oil content accumulated in their cells. In this study, the suitability for biofuel production was tested for Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorella fusca, Oocystis submarina, and Monoraphidium strain. The effect of nutrient limitation on microalgae biomass growth, lipid accumulation, ash content, fatty acid profile, and selected physico-chemical parameters of algal biodiesel were analysed. The study was carried out in vertical tubular photobioreactors of 100 L capacity. The highest biomass content at 100% medium dose was found for Monoraphidium 525 ± 29 mg·L−1. A 50% reduction of nutrients in the culture medium decreased the biomass content by 23% for O. submarina, 19% for Monoraphidium, 13% for C. vulgaris and 9% for C. fusca strain. Nutrient limitation increased lipid production and reduced ash content in microalgal cells. The highest values were observe...

Journal of Xidian University, 2020

The petition for substitute energies has increased in the past numerous years. Several substitutes have come into existence in recent years, and many more are on their way to get established as a sustainable fuel substitute. In the present investigation, we carried out the extraction of total lipids and production of biodiesel from Chetomarpha spp., The algae were collected from the natural habitat of Karwar shoreline region. Different pre-treatment was adopted to dry the collected sample for lipid extraction. The solvent Method was followed to obtain biodiesel at laboratory conditions. GC-MS technique was followed to evaluate the composition of fatty acids in Extracted biodiesel. Quantity of total fatty acid (TFAs) accounted nearly normal in its lipid content composition as in many previous reports. Biofuel experiments have shown promising results towards biodiesel application. The same results have been explained in the appropriate form as given below.

Journal of Applied Phycology, 2015

In recent years, microalgae-based carbon-neutral biofuels (i.e., biodiesel) have gained considerable interest due to high growth rate and higher lipid productivity of microalgae during the whole year, delivering continuous bio-mass production as compared to vegetable-based feedstocks. Therefore, biodiesel was synthesized from three different microalgal species, namely Tetraselmis sp. (Chlorophyta) and Nannochloropsis oculata and Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Heterokontophyta), and the fuel properties of the biodiesel were analytically determined, unlike most studies which rely on estimates based on the lipid profile of the microalgae. These include density, kinematic viscosity, total and free glycerol, and high heating value (HHV), while cetane number (CN) and cold filter plugging point (CFPP) were estimated based on the fatty acid methyl ester profile of the biodiesel samples instead of the lipid profile of the microalgae. Most biodiesel properties abide by the ASTM D6751 and the EN 14214 specifications, although none of the biodiesel samples met the minimum CN or the maximum content of poly-unsaturated fatty acids with ≥4 double bonds as required by the EN 14214 reference value. On the other hand, bomb calorimetric experiments revealed that the heat of 2 combustion of all samples was on the upper limit expected for biodiesel fuels, actually being close to that of petrodiesel. Post-production processing may overcome the aforementioned limitations, enabling the production of biodiesel with high HHV obtained from lipids present in these microalgae.