Production and Characterization of Biodiesel from Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Oil

Abstract To have an environment free from pollutants, advocates of biodiesel claim that it is renewable, efficient, environmentally friendly and biodegradable fuel made from vegetable oil. The research focused on using green chemistry metrics in assessing biodiesel production process. Coconut oil was extracted by cold extraction from coconuts bought at Afo Obosima in Ohaji Egbema- a crude oil heavily polluted village in the oil rich Niger Delta Nigeria. Biodiesel was produced via base catalyzed transesterification. Both coconut oil and produced biodiesel were each characterized in parallel experiments using standard methods. Selected green chemistry metrics were used to assess the greenness of the process. Biodiesel showed that the coconut oil density; 0.89 g, viscosity; 21mm2/s, saponification value; 182 mg KOH/g, iodine value; 11.4 mgl2/g, acid value; 14.3 mg KOH/g and flash point; 250 °C, smoke point; 160 °C, pH; 7.8, ester value; 167.7, free fatty acid; 7.2% and peroxide value; 5meq/kg while  coconut oil had density; 0.75 g, viscosity; 2.7 mm2/s,  saponification value; 85 mg KOH/g, iodine value; 9 mgl2/g, acid value; 0.5 mg KOH/g and flash point; 125 °C, smoke point; 82°C, pH; 8.6, ester value; 82.75, free fatty acid; 0.25% and peroxide value; 0.15. The physicochemical properties of biodiesel produce from coconut oil compared with that of the standard biodiesel in the range of ASTM specifications. The FTIR shows that methyl ester functional groups are present in the biodiesel and absent in the coconut oil. The GC-Mass spectroscopy shows that fatty acid methylesters (67.8 %) are the most prominent component of the biodiesel. Results were within the ASTM specification for biodiesel and there biodiesels were successfully prepared from coconut oil. Atom economy, e-factor and green star for the process were assessed using appropriate factors and results showed that the process was generally adjudged to be a green process.