TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES

College of Engineering and Architecture

Department of Chemical Engineering
Manila

QUESEA, MARCO QUEBRATA

0930049 │ BS CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
ChE RESEARCH 1
ENGR. NORMAN GIOVANNI GUEVARRA

Pakorn Winayanuwattikuna,c
a,c
Chutima Kaewpiboon
Kingkaew Piriyakananona,c
Supalak Tantonga,c
Weerasak Thakernkarnkita,c
Waranut Chulalaksanukulb,c
a,c
Tikamporn Yongvanich
a
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
b
Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
c
Biofuel Production by Biocatalyst Research Unit, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330,
Thailand

Potential plant oil feedstock for lipase-catalyzed biodiesel production in Thailand

BIOMASS AND BIOENERGY │ Volume 32 │ 2008 │ 1278 – 1286

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
1. Thesis........................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Methods........................................................................................................................................ 2
3. Evidence of the thesis support...................................................................................................... 2
4. Contribution to the literature.......................................................................................................... 3
5. Recommendation.......................................................................................................................... 3
6. Reference......................................................................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION

Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl
(methyl, propyl or ethyl) esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids (e.g., vegetable
oil, animal fat (tallow)) with an alcohol. Biodiesel is meant to be used in standard diesel engines and is
thus distinct from the vegetable and waste oils used to fuel converted diesel engines. Biodiesel can be
used alone, or blended with petrodiesel. The increasing growth of production of biodiesel industry is now
leading to discoveries of potential plant oil feedstock meeting the environmental sustainability, resources
and economy. Also, the abuse usage of commonly used oil feedstock for biodiesel production is being
forecasted in years.
1. Thesis
The thesis leads in discovering and evaluating for the potential oil feedstock for biodiesel production
by lipase-catalysed in Thailand considering the country’s resources and economy. It tested 27 from 44
types of plants that found to contain 25% oil (w/w). The measures or parameters used to determine the
most probable feedstock for the biodiesel production are aligned to biodiesel standards of Thailand, USA
and European Standard Organization which are saponification number, iodine number, cetane number
and viscosity. 15 species were found to be most suitable for use as biodiesel that met the given
parameters and further investigated with the lipase-catalysed transesterification reaction. The 15 samples
were carried to high-performance liquid chromatography to analyse the products. And found out that
palm, physic nut, papaya and rambutan can be highly converted to biodiesel production by lipase-
catalysed transesterication. Meeting also Thailand’s resources and economy, the four species are
therefore considered as the feedstock for biodiesel production by biocatalyst.

2. Methods
Transesterification reaction catalysed by a lipase (biocatalyst) was used to extract the oil of the 27
species in Soxhlet apparatus with n-hexane. Gas chromatography and high-performance liquid
chromatography were used to determine the fatty acid composition and analysed products, respectively.
Basic parameters were used to determine the probability of oil feedstock for biodiesel production which
are aligned to the ASTM. Methods used were appropriate and common. A catalytic reaction was used.
The authors just employed a type of catalyst, a biocatalyst, which was done in the tranesterification
reaction and proved that’s a suitable for the biodiesel production of the species investigated. This thesis
was just very preliminary investigation if and if thorough biodiesel production was taken seriously. The
methods used were simple and common for biodiesel test production. Thus, this can be duplicated if an
investigation for ability of an species is to find out. The parameters used specifically saponification
number, cetane number, iodine number and viscosity were used calculated based on the mass fraction
and molar fraction this can result to errors. Machines will be more reliable to use.

3. Evidence of thesis support

The parameters used to determine the ability of the species as oil feedstock were discussed
thoroughly giving its importance and relativity to the biodiesel specifications and production. These data
were already evidently enough to show that the parameters are suitably fitted for the investigation for the
potential plant oil feedstock for biodiesel production. Since this is just a preliminary investigation towards
the potential test, the parameters are too shallow and not reasonable at all to be able to use in mass
production or large production of biodiesel. If total potential will be investigated, parameters used are
lacking. It wasn’t discussed the catalyst importance and availability and how commonly used the lipase is
in the biodiesel production through transesterification.
4. Contribution to the literature
The research reveals the other methods and procedures that can be used in the production of
biodiesel. Also, it discussed the biodiesel specifications that must be met to be able to be used in the
diesel engines. There are so many parameters or measures that can be used but some may do
depending on the investigation t be done like preliminary investigation of potential of feedstock.

5. Recommendations

The title of the thesis already reveals what it is trying to find out for it is appropriate and clear enough
to be easily understood by the reader as well as the abstract. The purpose of the study or research is to
seek the potential oil feedstock that can be used in the biodiesel production in Thailand which had been
answered and evidently and experimentally proven. Errors just existed when there are some data that
were not shown which I think will help in the full understanding of the study hence. Also, The 44 species
that had been accounted for investigation were not listed. It must be listed for the reader to not to used it
anymore for duplication or reference thing.
It has been well discussed the results that it has investigated together with the information and data
with regards to the parameters and measures used in this specific research or thesis. The discussion can
be easily understood or even the whole thesis or research can be easily understood.
Overall, the thesis is reliable enough for the investigation for potential plant oil feedstock. This thesis
is very helpful especially in the Philippines for the two countries lie in the tropical zone wherein resources
are most likely the same. This will chance to those aspirants for biodiesel production researchers and
manufacturers. But still and still further study must be done to ensure the quality of the biodiesel that will
be produced in the concluded or to the potential plant oil feedstock resulted by this research. Machines or
electronic apparatus must be used to ensure a close value to actual values of the parameters used.

6. References

TEAM Report for Imperial Oil: BIODIESEL. Alexandra Bell, Michael Blinick, Erin Creber, Geoff Greer,
Eddie Ho, Mark Knight. Queen’s University

Biodiesel Analytical Methods. J. Van Gerpen, B. Shanks, R. Pruszko, D. Clements, G. Knothe.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Specifications for Biodiesel (B100) – ASTM D6751-09. The National Biodiesel Board

Information brief on biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel). Thompson

Comparison of Biodiesel Feedstocks Common to Coastal Alaska. Burke Anderson. The Evergreen
State College. 2008

Potential Biodiesel Production from Palm Oil for Thailand. Teerin Vanichseni, Sakda Intaravichai,
Banyat Saitthiti and Thanya Kiatiwat. Thailand

Two-step lipase catalysis for production of biodiesel. Md. Mahabubur Rahman Talukder, Jin Chuan
Wu, Ng Mei Fen, Yeo Li Shi Melissa. Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, Singapore