Efficient Free Fatty Acid Reduction in Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) for Biodiesel Production: Challenges and Optimization Strategies
The increasing demand for fossil fuels has led the oil industry to explore biodiesel as a renewable alternative, which is crucial for advancing planetary health. Biodiesel offers environmental benefits and shares similar properties with petroleum diesel, making it a promising substitute. However, Pa...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| author | Indunil Chamara Helitha Nilmalgoda Eranga Wimalasiri |
| author_facet | Indunil Chamara Helitha Nilmalgoda Eranga Wimalasiri |
| author_sort | Indunil Chamara |
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| description | The increasing demand for fossil fuels has led the oil industry to explore biodiesel as a renewable alternative, which is crucial for advancing planetary health. Biodiesel offers environmental benefits and shares similar properties with petroleum diesel, making it a promising substitute. However, Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), containing sludge palm oil (SPO), presents challenges due to its high free fatty acid (FFA) content. This study proposes novel optimization strategies to reduce FFAs in SPO and improve biodiesel yield. A combination of base neutralization, esterification, and transesterification processes was employed. Neutralization with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at concentrations ranging from 0.1% to 0.5% <i>w</i>/<i>w</i> was followed by esterification using sulfuric acid (H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>) with varying methanol-to-oil ratios. The optimal FFA reduction of 2.26% was achieved at a 6:1 methanol ratio. Transesterification with a 7:1 methanol-to-oil ratio yielded the highest biodiesel output of 71.25%. The biodiesel met ASTM standards, with a calorific value of 40.01 MJ/kg, a flash point of 180.5 °C, and a density of 0.86 g/cm<sup>3</sup>. Economic analysis estimates an annual net profit of USD 244,901,600, demonstrating that this approach provides a financially viable solution while advancing planetary health by reducing dependency on fossil fuels, mitigating climate change, and supporting sustainable fuel production. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | OA Journals |
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| language | English |
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| spelling | doaj-art-1fa4a6168070468ab873934b6b9e9bb82025-08-20T02:24:37ZengMDPI AGChallenges2078-15472025-06-011622810.3390/challe16020028Efficient Free Fatty Acid Reduction in Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) for Biodiesel Production: Challenges and Optimization StrategiesIndunil Chamara0Helitha Nilmalgoda1Eranga Wimalasiri2Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya 70140, Sri LankaDepartment of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya 70140, Sri LankaDepartment of Export Agriculture, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya 70140, Sri LankaThe increasing demand for fossil fuels has led the oil industry to explore biodiesel as a renewable alternative, which is crucial for advancing planetary health. Biodiesel offers environmental benefits and shares similar properties with petroleum diesel, making it a promising substitute. However, Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), containing sludge palm oil (SPO), presents challenges due to its high free fatty acid (FFA) content. This study proposes novel optimization strategies to reduce FFAs in SPO and improve biodiesel yield. A combination of base neutralization, esterification, and transesterification processes was employed. Neutralization with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at concentrations ranging from 0.1% to 0.5% <i>w</i>/<i>w</i> was followed by esterification using sulfuric acid (H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>) with varying methanol-to-oil ratios. The optimal FFA reduction of 2.26% was achieved at a 6:1 methanol ratio. Transesterification with a 7:1 methanol-to-oil ratio yielded the highest biodiesel output of 71.25%. The biodiesel met ASTM standards, with a calorific value of 40.01 MJ/kg, a flash point of 180.5 °C, and a density of 0.86 g/cm<sup>3</sup>. Economic analysis estimates an annual net profit of USD 244,901,600, demonstrating that this approach provides a financially viable solution while advancing planetary health by reducing dependency on fossil fuels, mitigating climate change, and supporting sustainable fuel production.https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/16/2/28sludge palm oilfree fatty acid reductionesterificationtransesterificationmethanol-to-oil |
| spellingShingle | Indunil Chamara Helitha Nilmalgoda Eranga Wimalasiri Efficient Free Fatty Acid Reduction in Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) for Biodiesel Production: Challenges and Optimization Strategies Challenges sludge palm oil free fatty acid reduction esterification transesterification methanol-to-oil |
| title | Efficient Free Fatty Acid Reduction in Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) for Biodiesel Production: Challenges and Optimization Strategies |
| title_full | Efficient Free Fatty Acid Reduction in Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) for Biodiesel Production: Challenges and Optimization Strategies |
| title_fullStr | Efficient Free Fatty Acid Reduction in Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) for Biodiesel Production: Challenges and Optimization Strategies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Efficient Free Fatty Acid Reduction in Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) for Biodiesel Production: Challenges and Optimization Strategies |
| title_short | Efficient Free Fatty Acid Reduction in Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) for Biodiesel Production: Challenges and Optimization Strategies |
| title_sort | efficient free fatty acid reduction in palm oil mill effluent pome for biodiesel production challenges and optimization strategies |
| topic | sludge palm oil free fatty acid reduction esterification transesterification methanol-to-oil |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/16/2/28 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT indunilchamara efficientfreefattyacidreductioninpalmoilmilleffluentpomeforbiodieselproductionchallengesandoptimizationstrategies AT helithanilmalgoda efficientfreefattyacidreductioninpalmoilmilleffluentpomeforbiodieselproductionchallengesandoptimizationstrategies AT erangawimalasiri efficientfreefattyacidreductioninpalmoilmilleffluentpomeforbiodieselproductionchallengesandoptimizationstrategies |