Identification of fatty acid methyl esters in biodiesel from Pithecellobium monadelphum seed oil

Abstract

Pithecellobium monadelphum Kosterm oil was extracted and transesterification was carried out using methanol as the solvent in presence of a catalyst to produce biodiesel. Fatty acid methyl esters in biodiesel prepared from Pithecellobium monadelphum seed oil was analyzed by IR, NMR and GC-MS. The biodiesel consists of 29.44 wt.% of methyl palmitate (C16:0), 38.91 wt.% of methyl linoleate (C18:2), 18.77 wt.% of methyl oleate (C18:1), 6.85 wt.% of methyl stearate (18:0), 2.87 wt.% of methyl arachidate (C20:0) and 3.13 wt.% of methyl behenate (C22:0)