IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL NON EDIBLE HEMP OIL SOURCE FOR BIODIESEL PRODUCTION AND ITS CHARACTERIZATION BY VARIOUS ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES

Abstract

Biodiesel is a new and sustainable potential source for bioenergy industry. Currently, biodiesel is produced using easily available edible vegetable oils from the agricultural industry but the use of edible oils for the production of biodiesel being in direct competition with food; it is simply not possible to justify the utilization of vegetable oils for the production of biodiesel. It is in this context that efforts have been made to make use of non-edible oil yielding Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) plant for biodiesel production. The Free Fatty Acids content of crude Hemp plant oil was reduced from 47.15 mg KOH/g to 1.01 mg KOH/g by the process of esterification before the synthesis of biodiesel. The highest conversion percentage of biodiesel i.e. 83.41% and 85.44% was obtained against NaOH and KOH in concentration of 0.75% (w/w)) and (1.0% (w/w)), respectively. The various reaction of synthesis parameters such as temperature, time of reaction, steering speed and oil molar ratio were adjusted to 60 oC, two hours, 600 rpm and 1:6, respectively. Available analytical techniques were used for qualitative authentication. GC-MS was used for profiling of various fatty acid methyl esters, FT-IR to monitor the synthesis reaction and C & H NMR for justification of carbon and proton of the specified compound. The fuel properties of biodiesel were tested and compared with EN and ASTM standards.