Proximate and Physicochemical Analysis of Castor, Neem, and Waste Cooking Oils, and their Waste Seed-Cakes Post Oil Extraction as Potential Raw Materials for Biodiesel Production

Authors: Zubairu MS*, Muhammad AB, Muhammad C, Danmallam IM and Magaji B

DOI: 10.23880/jeesc-16000106

Volume 2, Issue 1

Abstract

In this study, proximate and physicochemical analysis of castor oil (CO), neem oil (NO), and waste cooking oil (WCO) is being investigated. The castor and neem seed oil were extracted using soxhlet extraction method with n-hexane as solvent with yields of 40.43% and 41.10% respectively. The results of the study indicated low moisture contents of 2.95% and 2.58% for castor and neem seed-cake/shell composite biomasses respectively. The castor seed-cake/shell composite biomass contained volatile matter (54.83%), ash content (7.85%), and fixed carbon (34.37%), while the neem seed-cake/shell composite biomass contained volatile matter (52.45%), ash content (12.74%), and fixed carbon (31.25%) respectively. The order of the proximate parameters in percentage for both castor and neem seed cake/shell composite biomasses is: Volatile Matter > Fixed Carbon > Ash Content > Moisture. Acid value is highest in the NO sample (14.95 mg KOH/g) than in the other two samples (CO (3.96 mg KOH/g) and WCO (3.93 mg KOH/g)). The NO sample had highest saponification value (198.17 mg KOH/g) and a low density (0.938 g/cm3) than the CO (181.48 mg KOH/g, 0.984 g/cm3) and WCO (184.29 mg KOH/g, 0.961 g/cm3) samples. The WCO (122.14 gI2/100g) sample had higher amount of unsaturated fatty acid compounds than NO (82.49 gI2/100g) and CO (80.39 gI2/100g) samples based on the iodine values obtained. The low moisture contents and significant amount of carbon contents in the two composite biomasses indicates that activated or carbonized carbon can be prepared using these composite biomass samples.

Keywords: Oil Extraction; Cake; Hexane; Castor Oil; Neem Oil; Analysis; Waste Vegetable Oil

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