Thesis Archive
Free Fatty Acid Removal from Waste Cooking Oil Using Green Synthesized Magnetic Ferric Oxide as Pretreatment for Biodiesel Production
Carla Salgado
Katherine Villaroman
Abstract:
The use of biodiesel, which is a clean burning diesel that is renewable, non-toxic, and biodegradable, has been of interest due to its environmental benefits. Cheaper feedstock such as crude oil and waste cooking oil (WCO) are more cost-effective but require additional refining and treatment because of their high FFA content. Adsorption offers a low cost and simple FFA removal technique that also reduces the amount of oil losses and soap contamination. Ferric oxide nanoparticles synthesized using Seaweed Sargassum polycystum was introduced as an adsorbent, which can be easily separated with the use of a magnet, for the removal of FFA in oil. The effects of initial FFA concentration (1%, 3%, 5%, and 7% stearic acid content) and adsorbent dosage (60 mg, 120 mg, and 180 mg) in adsorption of FFA from green synthesized ferric oxide nanoparticles were analyzed. At varying initial concentration, it was observed that the %FFA removal decreased from 5.60% to 0.70% when initial concentration of the oil was increased from 1% (w/w) to 7% (w/w) stearic acid content. The Q value increased as the initial FFA concentration increased obtaining the highest value of 362.35 mg FFA adsorbed per g of nanoparticles at 5% (w/w) stearic acid content. However, the Q value decreased when the initial concentration was further increased to 7% (w/w) stearic acid content. When the parameter of adsorbent dosage was varied, it was observed that the %FFA removal increased as the adsorbent dosage increased. The highest Q value was obtained at 120mg adsorbent dosage with 528.37 mg FFA adsorbed per g of nanoparticles. For both experimental designs, the Langmuir isotherm model was found to be the best fitting model with a maximum FFA adsorption capacity of 454.54 mg/g.
Adviser:
Madrazo, Cynthia F.