Biodiesel consists of the monoalkyl esters formed by a catalyzed reaction of the triglycerides in the oil or fat with a simple monohydric alcohol. There are a number of water-soluble impurities left in biodiesel after the reaction. The contaminants include a small amount of leftover methanol, soaps, a small amount of leftover lye, and some free glycerin. These contaminants in the final product can affect the performance of the fuel in the engine. Standard organizations such as ASTM have defined acceptable limits for a number of properties to define the quality of biodiesel. Rapid screening of such impurities is important for in-process / batch samples. Although individual tests for these properties have been established and are in routine use, there is an opportunity to improve testing speed, simplicity, and scope.
This work focuses on profiling of existing impurities in biodiesel using simple techniques such as mid infrared, near IR and Raman spectroscopy. Data generated by all these techniques will offer a comparison study between these techniques and comparison with existing techniques specified in ASTM and EU methods.
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