This study describes the use of microwaves (MW) for enhanced extractive-transesterification of algal lipids from dry algal biomass (Chlorella sp.). Two different single-step extractive transesterification methods under MW irradiation were evaluated: (1) with ethanol as solvent/ reactant and sodium hydroxide catalyst; and (2) with ethanol as reactant and hexane as solvent (sodium hydroxide catalyst). Biodiesel (FAEE) yields from these two methods were compared with the conventional Bligh and Dyer (BD) method which followed a two-step extraction-transesterification process. The maximum lipid yields for MW, MW with hexane and BD methods were 20.1%; 20.1% and 13.9% respectively; while FAEE conversion of the algal lipids were 96.2%; 94.3%; and 78.1% respectively. An oil-ethanol molar ratio of 1:500 and 2.5% catalyst with reaction times around 6 minutes were determined as optimum conditions for both methods. This study confers that the single-step non-conventional methods can contribute to higher algal lipid and FAEE yields.

Algae biodiesel production under microwave irradiation with hexane as solvent

247th National Meeting (2014)

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