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Eco‐friendly biodiesel production using passion fruit peels and cupuaçu seeds: Catalyst development and process optimization

Wiley
Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining
Authors:
Silma De Sá Barros at University of São Paulo
Silma De Sá Barros
Francisco Xavier Nobre at Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Amazonas (IFAM)
Francisco Xavier Nobre
Wyvirlany Lobo at Polytechnic Institute of Bragança
Wyvirlany Lobo
Sergio DUVOISIN Jr at Universidade do Estado do Amazonas
Sergio DUVOISIN Jr
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Abstract and Figures

Yellow passion fruit peel and cupuaçu seeds are common wastes. Usually, they have few or no applications and are discarded, causing environmental pollution. To use them in a new way and reduce ecological pollution, we obtained the ash of yellow passion fruit peels by calcination. We characterized it using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR‐ATR), X‐ray fluorescence (XRF), X‐ray diffractometry (XRD), adsorption‐desorption of N2, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), basicity, and soluble alkalinity. It was observed that the ash was mainly composed of potassium (69%) in the form of carbonate, chloride, and sulfate, with a good surface area (11.23 m² g⁻¹). The cupuaçu butter was also extracted from the cupuaçu seeds and characterized, showing low acidity, peroxide, saponification, and iodine indexes, in addition to presenting a lipid profile with 57% saturated fatty acid and 43% unsaturated fatty acid. Oleic and stearic acids were present in higher proportions. These results demonstrate that this butter can be a sustainable input in biodiesel production. Thus, the ash was used as a heterogeneous catalyst in the butter transesterification. The biodiesel synthesis was optimized, resulting in 97.8% butter conversion into biodiesel under the following conditions: reaction time of 2 h, 5 wt% of catalyst, 80 °C, and a methanol‐to‐oil molar ratio of 30. This work, therefore, shows that it is possible to obtain and utilize bioinputs, such as cupuaçu butter and passion fruit peel ash, to produce biodiesel through transesterification, and the use of waste materials (precisely passion fruit peels and cupuaçu seeds) makes this method a cost‐effective and environmentally friendly approach to biofuel production.
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96 © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Original Article
Eco-friendly biodiesel production using
passion fruit peels and cupuaçu seeds:
Catalyst development and process
optimization
Silma de S.Barros, Department of Materials Engineering, Engineering School of Lorena, University
of São Paulo, EEL/USP, Lorena, São Paulo, Brazil
Francisco X.Nobre, Federal Institute of Amazonas, IFAM, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Wyvirlany V.Lobo, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Amazonas - UFAM, Manaus,
Amazonas, Brazil
SergioDuvoisin,Jr. Escola Superior de Tecnologia, EST/UEA, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
César A. S.deSouza,ICTS, Manaus, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Vanessa Leal de Q.Herminio,Energy and Materials department, Centro de Bionégócios da
Amazônia - CBA, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology, Federal
University of Amazonas - UFAM, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Iracelma H.Pereira,Energy and Materials Department, Centro de Bionégócios da Amazônia - CBA,
Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Edson P.Silva, Energy and Materials Department, Centro de Bionégócios da Amazônia - CBA,
Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology, Federal University of Amazonas
- UFAM, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
StefanIglauer,Centre for Sustainable Energy and Resources, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup,
Western Australia, Australia
Flávio A.deFreitas, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Amazonas - UFAM, Manaus,
Amazonas, Brazil; Energy and Materials department, Centro de Bionégócios da Amazônia - CBA,
Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Received June 7 2023; Revised September 13 2023; Accepted September 15 2023;
View online 15 November, 2023 at Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com);
DOI: 10.1002/bbb.2551; Biofuels, Bioprod. Bioref. 18:96–112 (2024)
Abstract: Yellow passion fruit peel and cupuaçu seeds are common wastes. Usually, they have few
or no applications and are discarded, causing environmental pollution. To use them in a new way
and reduce ecological pollution, we obtained the ash of yellow passion fruit peels by calcination. We
characterized it using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reectance (FTIR-
ATR), X-ray uorescence (XRF), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), adsorption-desorption of N2, scanning electron
microscopy (SEM), basicity, and soluble alkalinity. It was observed that the ash was mainly composed of
potassium (69%) in the form of carbonate, chloride, and sulfate, with a good surface area (11.23 m2 g−1).
Correspondence to: Flávio Augusto de Freitas, Centro de Bionegócios da Amazônia - CBA. Av. Gov. Danilo de Matos Areosa,
690 - DistritoIndustrial I, Manaus - Amazonas, 69075-351, Brazil. E-mail: freitas.avio@yahoo.com.br
... This problem was mitigated by using an adsorbent from murumuru shells, which removed 92.5% of the chlorophyll, allowing the catalyst to be reused with 80% of catalytic activity retained [85] Ashes from yellow passion fruit shells, rich in potassium, were used as a catalyst in the transesterification of cupuaçu butter, a byproduct with a lipid profile suitable for biodiesel production. The synthesis was optimized, resulting in a 97.8% conversion, highlighting the feasibility of using passion fruit and cupuaçu waste as bioresources for biodiesel [86]. ...
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