There is an urgent need to detect biodiesel at low and high concentrations in diesel. The current techniques for the detection of biodiesel, which generally consists of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), rely on GC, HPLC, and IR.  We have found that solvatochromism can be used to detect FAME/biodiesel in diesel.  Based on this discovery, we have developed, for example, a simple, optical sensor containing the dye, Nile Blue chloride, in a thin film for quick and direct biodiesel detection.  The solvatochromatic properties of the dye lead to a color change from blue in diesel to pink in the presence of FAME.  This highly sensitive, disposable sensor detects 0.5-200,000 ppm (20% v/v) FAME/biodiesel in diesel.  The sensor response to 0.5�30 ppm FAME in diesel (20 mL) is less than 30 min.  At concentrations higher than 1,000 ppm, the sensor response time is less than 5 min.  This novel sensor may be used for both low, ppm-level detection of FAME in diesel and high-level measurement of biodiesel at, e.g., B20, in biodiesel-diesel blend.

Use of solvatochromism to detect FAME/biodiesel in diesel

246th National Meeting (2013)

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