Skip to main content

Conversion of Microbial Lipids to Biodiesel and Basic Lab Tests for Analysis of Fuel-Quality Parameters

  • Protocol
  • First Online:
  • 1339 Accesses

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1995))

Abstract

This chapter describes lab-scale procedures for the direct conversion of microbial lipids to fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) for use as biodiesel fuel. Methods for the gas chromatography analysis of FAME profiles and equations to predict several fuel-quality parameters are detailed herein. This chapter also provides a complete list summarizing each of the fuel quality tests (e.g., sample size and equipment) that are required by ASTM International D6751 regulations for pure biodiesel fuel (B100) or blend stock. Recommendations for the decolorization of microbial lipid sources containing pigments are also included. This resource should provide a guide to basic conversion and characterization of microbial-derived biodiesel fuels and a roadmap for more-detailed testing required to assess commercial feasibility.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Protocol
USD   49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Springer Nature is developing a new tool to find and evaluate Protocols. Learn more

References

  1. ASTM D6751-15ce1 Standard Specification for Biodiesel Fuel Blend Stock (B100) for Middle Distillate Fuels (2015) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  2. Li Q, Du W, Liu D (2008) Perspectives of microbial oils for biodiesel production. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 80(5):749–756

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Meher LC, Vidya Sagar D, Naik SN (2006) Technical aspects of biodiesel production by transesterification—a review. Renew Sust Energ Rev 10(3):248–268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Bello EI, Mogaji TS, Agge M (2011) The effects of transesterification on selected fuel properties of three vegetable oils. J Mech Eng Res 3(7):218–225

    Google Scholar 

  5. Knothe G (2005) Dependence of biodiesel fuel properties on the structure of fatty acid alkyl esters. Fuel Process Technol 86(10):1059–1070

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ramos MJ, Fernández CM, Casas A, Rodríguez L, Pérez Á (2009) Influence of fatty acid composition of raw materials on biodiesel properties. Bioresour Technol 100(1):261–268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ichihara K, Fukubayashi Y (2010) Preparation of fatty acid methyl esters for gas-liquid chromatography. J Lipid Res 51(3):635–640

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Richardson CE, Hennebelle M, Otoki Y, Zamora D, Yang J, Hammock BD, Taha AY (2017) Lipidomic analysis of oxidized fatty acids in plant and algae oils. J Agric Food Chem 65(9):1941–1951

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ramírez-Verduzco LF, Rodríguez-Rodríguez JE, Jaramillo-Jacob AR (2012) Predicting cetane number, kinematic viscosity, density and higher heating value of biodiesel from its fatty acid methyl ester composition. Fuel 91(1):102–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. O’Neil GW, Knothe G, Williams JR, Burlow NP, Culler AR, Corliss JM, Carmichael CA, Reddy CM (2014) Synthesis and analysis of an alkenone-free biodiesel from Isochrysis sp. Energy Fuel 28(4):2677–2683

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. O’Neil GW, Knothe G, Williams JR, Burlow NP, Reddy CM (2016) Decolorization improves the fuel properties of algal biodiesel from Isochrysis sp. Fuel 179:229–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Issariyakul T, Dalai AK (2010) Biodiesel production from greenseed canola oil. Energy Fuel 24(9):4652–4658

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. ASTM D4057-12 Standard Practice for Manual Sampling of Petroleum and Petroleum Products (2012) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  14. ASTM D4177-16e1 Standard Practice for Automatic Sampling of Petroleum and Petroleum Products (2016) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  15. ASTM D613-17b Standard Test Method for Cetane Number of Diesel Fuel Oil (2017) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  16. ASTM D2500-16b Standard Test Method for Cloud Point of Petroleum Products and Liquid Fuels (2016) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  17. ASTM D5771-17 Standard Test Method for Cloud Point of Petroleum Products and Liquid Fuels (Optical Detection Stepped Cooling Method) (2017) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  18. ASTM D7501-12a Standard Test Method for Determination of Fuel Filter Blocking Potential of Biodiesel (B100) Blend Stock by Cold Soak Filtration Test (CSFT) (2012) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  19. ASTM D1160-15 Standard Test Method for Distillation of Petroleum Products at Reduced Pressure (2015) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  20. ASTM D93-16a Standard Test Methods for Flash Point by Pensky-Martens Closed Cup Tester (2016) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  21. ASTM D445-17a Standard Test Method for Kinematic Viscosity of Transparent and Opaque Liquids (and Calculation of Dynamic Viscosity) (2017) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  22. EN 15751 Automotive Fuels – Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) Fuel and Blends with Diesel Fuel – Determination of Oxidation Stability by Accelerated Oxidation Method (2014) European Committee for Standardization

    Google Scholar 

  23. ASTM D5453-16e1 Standard Test Method for Determination of Total Sulfur in Light Hydrocarbons, Spark Ignition Engine Fuel, Diesel Engine Fuel, and Engine Oil by Ultraviolet Fluorescence (2016) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  24. ASTM D4951-14 Standard Test Method for Determination of Additive Elements in Lubricating Oils by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (2014) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  25. ASTM D7111-16 Standard Test Method for Determination of Trace Elements in Middle Distillate Fuels by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) (2016) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  26. EN 14538 Fat and Oil Derivatives – Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) – Determination of Ca, K, Mg and Na Content by Optical Emission Spectral Analysis with Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP OES) (2006) European Committee for Standardization

    Google Scholar 

  27. ASTM D664-11ae1 Standard Test Method for Acid Number of Petroleum Products by Potentiometric Titration (2011) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  28. EN 14110 Fat and Oil Derivatives – Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) – Determination of Methanol Content (2003) European Committee for Standardization

    Google Scholar 

  29. ASTM D4530-15 Standard Test Method for Determination of Carbon Residue (Micro Method) (2015) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  30. ASTM D130-12 Standard Test Method for Corrosiveness to Copper from Petroleum Products by Copper Strip Test (2012) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  31. ASTM D6584-13e1 Standard Test Method for Determination of Total Monoglycerides, Total Diglycerides, Total Triglycerides, and Free and Total Glycerin in B-100 Biodiesel Methyl Esters by Gas Chromatography (2013) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  32. ASTM D874-13a Standard Test Method for Sulfated Ash from Lubricating Oils and Additives (2013) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  33. ASTM D2709-16 Standard Test Method for Water and Sediment in Middle Distillate Fuels by Centrifuge (2016) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  34. ASTM D1298-12b Standard Test Method for Density, Relative Density, or API Gravity of Crude Petroleum and Liquid Petroleum Products by Hydrometer Method (2012) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  35. ASTM D240-17 Standard Test Method for Heat of Combustion of Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels by Bomb Calorimeter (2017) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  36. Sanz-Tejedor MA, Arroyo Y, San José J (2016) Influence of degree of unsaturation on combustion efficiency and flue gas emissions of burning five refined vegetable oils in an emulsion burner. Energy Fuel 30(9):7357–7366

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. ASTM D1541-97 Standard Test Method for Total Iodine Value of Drying Oils and Their Derivatives (Withdrawn) (2006) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  38. Knothe G, Krahl J, Van Gerpen J (2015) The biodiesel handbook. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  39. Mittelbach M, Remschmidt C (2004) Biodiesel—the comprehensive handbook. Martin Mittelbach, Graz, Austria. There is no corresponding record for this reference

    Google Scholar 

  40. Knothe G (2001) Analytical methods used in the production and fuel quality assessment of biodiesel. Trans ASAE 44(2):193

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Gerpen JV (2005) Biodiesel processing and production. Fuel Process Technol 86(10):1097–1107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Van Gerpen J, Knothe G (2005) Basics of the transesterification reaction. In: The biodiesel handbook. AOCS Press/Academic Press, London, pp 26–41

    Google Scholar 

  43. Van Gerpen J, Canakci M (1999) Biodiesel production via acid catalisis. Trans ASAE 42:1203–1210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Ataya F, Dubé MA, Ternan M (2007) Acid-catalyzed transesterification of canola oil to biodiesel under single-and two-phase reaction conditions. Energy Fuel 21(4):2450–2459

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Anastopoulos G, Zannikou Y, Stournas S, Kalligeros S (2009) Transesterification of vegetable oils with ethanol and characterization of the key fuel properties of ethyl esters. Energies 2(2):362–376

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Thanh LT, Okitsu K, Boi LV, Maeda Y (2012) Catalytic technologies for biodiesel fuel production and utilization of glycerol: a review. Catalysts 2(1):191–222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Nadkarni R (2016) Analysis of biofuels – a laboratory resource, MNL77-EB. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Book  Google Scholar 

  48. ASTM D7344-17 Standard Test Method for Distillation of Petroleum Products and Liquid Fuels at Atmospheric Pressure (Mini Method) (2017) ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA

    Google Scholar 

  49. American Oil Chemists S, Firestone D (2004) Official methods and recommended practices of the American Oil Chemists’ Society. AOCS, Champaign

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Annaliese K. Franz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

About this protocol

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this protocol

Franz, A.K., Yothers, C. (2019). Conversion of Microbial Lipids to Biodiesel and Basic Lab Tests for Analysis of Fuel-Quality Parameters. In: Balan, V. (eds) Microbial Lipid Production. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1995. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9484-7_17

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9484-7_17

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-9483-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-9484-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics