UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE COLOMBIA

SEDE MEDELLÍN

Primer quiz
Química Analítica

Karol A. Landines Barragán

Ingeniería Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellín.
klandinesb@unal.educo
Octubre, martes (2), 2018
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Describe the procedure of trans-esterification

The procedure of trans-esterification reaction begins by dissolving KOH in the methanol/ethanol

blend, under stirring at room temperature. Next, add to this solution 100 g of oil under stirring and
allow the reaction up to the phase separation. Remove the alcohol excess by distillation under
reduced pressure. Transfer the mixture of esters and glycerin to a separatory funnel and allow
settling for 12 hours. Afterwards, separate and weigh both phases and wash the biodiesel, using
the air bubbling technique. For the first washing, utilize a 0.1 M HCl solution, followed by washings
with water until reaching the pH 7.0. Dry the biodiesel in an oven at 100 ºC for 3 hours, allow
cooling and weigh, for further physico-chemical tests.

¿How did the authors determine the best methanol/ethanol ratio?

To determine the best methanol/ethanol ratio, the authors analyzed the spontaneous separation
process of biodiesel/glycerin. The biodiesel produced is composed of methyl and ethyl esters of
the fatty acids that make up babassu oil. In the chromatogram of Figure 1 that they expose, they
comment that it can be observed that there are two peaks derived from the same fatty acid, and
they explain that this happens because a peak of the fatty acid is obtained that reacts with
methanol and the other peak reacts with ethanol. As they show different retention times, it is
possible to detect them separately. They obtained that the optimum ratio of methanol/ethanol,
according to its results, is of 80% MeOH: 20%EtOH, with a mass yield of 95.32 % and an ester
content 98.70 %.

Explain the results shown in table 4 of the article:

Table 4 shows the results of the physicochemical tests carried out by the authors for a blend of
80% MeOH and 20% EtOH, and compare them with Babassu oil. We can see that the biodiesel
obtained from the blend of methanol / ethanol 80:20, meets the specifications required by ANP
and only exceeds the allowed limit of free glycerin (% m/m) according to the standards from
ASTM. Finally, the table shows that methyl/ethyl biodiesel obtained from Babassu oil by the
transesterification reaction, is within most of the limits set for biodiesel, unlike of the initial oil
vegetable that was used.