This research was a comparative study of waste catalyst effectiveness in the synthesis of biodiesel of waste animal fats. The waste catalysts used were chicken eggshell and cow-bone ash, and the waste animal fats used were chicken fat and pork lard. Catalysts were prepared through calcinations at 900oC in a furnace to produce calcium oxide active sites. Eighteen transesterification experiments were carried out; nine experiments on chicken fat and nine experiments on pork fat. Reaction conditions for each experiment were 1:13 molar ratio of methanol, 5hr reaction time, 60-65oC reaction temperature. Chicken eggshell and cow-bone ash were varied at catalyst loading 5%wt, 7.5wt%, and 10wt% for both chicken fat and pork lard. Comparing starting materials, pork lard and chicken fat, data results showed that pork lard produced higher fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) yields on both chicken eggshell and cow-bone ash catalysts; PLME yields were 81% and 82% compared to CFME yields of 74% and 78%. Pork lard proved to be best starting material to synthesize FAMEs using eggshell or cow-bone catalysts. In economic terms for the industrial production of biodiesel from waste animal fats, catalysts are to be selected based on cost and availability. Eggshells produce better quality biodiesel over cow-bone ash based on results from viscosity, cloud point, and pour point analysis.
Keywords: Biodiesel, FAME, GC/MS, chicken eggshell, cowbone, esterification, transesterification
