ANNOUNCEMENTS
The increasing demand for sustainable resources has led to significant research in the field of alternative fuels and environment-friendly chemicals. This thesis investigates the use of non-edible Brassica carinata cultivar PC6 in the synthesis of biodiesel (FAME) and bio-surfactant (MES) using transesterification-sulfonation reactions. Oil was extracted using a soxhlet apparatus and its physicochemical characterization confirmed the presence of LCFA (C:18-C:20) and VLCFA (C:22) which are suitable for FAME synthesis. Acid value >2 mg KOH/g was reduced using acid catalyst-mediated esterification. A factorial design of the experiment and Central Composite Design (CCD) was used to optimize biodiesel yield using Design-Expert® software. The transesterification process variables chosen were- catalyst concentration, reaction time, reaction temperature and oil-to-alcohol ratio, and the response was FAME yield. Significant interactions were obtained using a polynomial regression model with R2 value of 0.985. FAME was further analyzed using GC, FTIR and NMR techniques each confirming the process of conversion. Additionally, the research explores the potential of FAME synthesized, as a substrate for MES production via sulfonation reaction. The best yield of MES was obtained using solvent: Methyl Ester: Acid catalyst in the ratio 1:1:3 at reaction temperature of 80°C and agitation speed 200 rpm for 3 hours.
