Synthesis of methyl esters from waste cooking oil using construction waste material as solid base catalyst

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 128; pp. 788 - 791
• Main Authors: Balakrishnan, K., Olutoye, M.A., Hameed, B.H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Calcium Carbonate; Catalysis; Catalysts; Construction Industry; Construction marble; Construction Materials; Cooking; Esterification; Esters; Esters - chemical synthesis; Exact sciences and technology; Food Industry; Food processing; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heating; Heterogeneous catalyst; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Industrial Oils; Industrial Waste - prevention & control; Pollution; Porosity; Refuse Disposal - methods; Synthesis; Transesterification; Waste cooking oil; Wastes; Waste cooking oil; Heterogeneous catalyst; Transesterification; Construction marble; Spent oil; Heterogeneous catalysis; Ester; Construction materials; Wastes; Edible oil; Catalyst
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2012.10.023

► Solid catalyst Ba/CaO was synthesized using construction site waste marble as precursor. ► The catalyst showed good activity in transesterification of waste cooking oil. ► The highest conversion of 88% was achieved in 3h with 3wt.% catalyst and ratio of 9:1. ► Utilization of double waste produced valuable FAME at low operating conditions. ► The catalyst is reusable over three cycles and easy to recover. The current research investigates synthesis of methyl esters by transesterification of waste cooking oil in a heterogeneous system, using barium meliorated construction site waste marble as solid base catalyst. The pretreated catalyst was calcined at 830°C for 4h prior to its activity test to obtained solid oxide characterized by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy, BET surface area and pore size measurement. It was found that the as prepared catalyst has large pores which contributed to its high activity in transesterification reaction. The methyl ester yield of 88% was obtained when the methanol/oil molar ratio was 9:1, reaction temperature at 65°C, reaction time 3h and catalyst/oil mass ratio of 3.0wt.%. The catalyst can be reused over three cycles, offer low operating conditions, reduce energy consumption and waste generation in the production of biodiesel.