Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Guided Biodiesel Production from Atoulfo Mango Seeds Oil and the Evaluation of Some of its Properties

Abstract

Ground Atoulfo mango seeds kernel was extracted using soxhlet apparatus with hexane to give an oil yield of 22.71%. The physicochemical properties of the oil reveals; acid value (15.32±0.20 mgKOH/g), free fatty acid (7.66±0.10 mg/g), iodine value (61.31±3.70 I2g/100g) and saponification value (171.99±3.10 mgKOH/g). The production of biodiesel from the oil by transesterification reaction was monitored by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. The percentage triacylglycerol conversion in the oil to its corresponding methyl esters (biodiesel) was calculated to be 94%. The important properties of the biodiesel studied were density (0.88 g/cm3), acid value (0.39 mg/KOH/g), kinematic viscosity (4.60 °C mm2/sec), flash point (150 °C), cetane number (65), pour point (2.1 °C), sulphur content (0.011 %) and ash content (trace) respectively. The fuel properties studied significantly agreed with the specifications of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM D6751), thus qualifying the seed oil as a potential ingredient for the production of biodiesel.