Effect of parameters on the analysis of coconut fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) compounds in coconut B20 biodiesel using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is presented here for the undergraduate instrumental analysis laboratory. FAME compounds are some of the most common non-polar long chain hydrocarbon compounds with a polar methyl ester group that arefound in petroleum products, such as biodiesel, where they tend to often be greater in concentration than other long chain hydrocarbons. FAME compounds are considered to be a globally sustainable renewable resource under the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISAct) of 2007, where they are primarily derived from plant based feedstocks for the production of alternative fuels such as biodiesel. The use of GC-MS as an instrumental analysis technique, while universally applicable, has not yet been fully incorporated into undergraduate instruction as a didactic tool for the qualitative analysis of organic compounds utilizing the innovative practice of target and qualifying ions. With these concepts in mind, this presentation works to inspire educators to use modern GC-MS instrumental analysis techniques to encourage undergraduate students to qualitatively investigate the effect of parameters on the instrumental analysis of coconut FAME compounds that are found in coconut B20 biodiesel.

Effect of parameters on the analysis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) in biodiesel by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)

248th National Meeting (2014)

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