SEDL / STP / STP1477-EB / STP49351S

Determination of Ester Content in Different Kinds of Biodiesel

Faria, Fátima D.
Petrobras Research Center, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Cerqueira, Klaire O.
Petrobras Research Center, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Leal, Glaucia P.
Petrobras Research Center, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Pereira, Rosana C. L.
Petrobras Research Center, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Neto, Manoel J. R. G.
Petrobras Research Center, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Pages: 12    Published: Jan 2011

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Abstract

Since the beginning of the Brazilian National Program of Production and Use of Biodiesel, Petrobras Research Center has been working in the evaluation of several raw materials for biodiesel production. Soybean, castor oil, animal fat, palm oil, and other raw materials have been studied. In Brazil, international methodologies have been used to analyze biodiesel samples. The existing international methods are not applicable to biodiesel samples from all sources. Due to the variety of existing raw materials in the country, it was necessary to develop a method for the determination of total ester content of biodiesel from any source, including animal fat, castor oil, palm, coconut, and others. A new Brazilian standard method, ABNT NBR 15764:2009 [1], was developed using gas chromatography and a mixture of esters as an external standard.