Conversion of waste produced by the deodorization of palm oil as feedstock for the production of biodiesel using a catalyst prepared from waste material

The distillate produced by deodorization of palm oil (DDPO) is a waste that corresponds to 4% of the product formed in this process. DDPO is 83% free of fatty acids (FFA), making it a good material for biodiesel production. In this paper, a catalyst prepared from a waste material, Amazon flint kaolin, was used for the esterification of DDPO with methanol. Leached metakaolin treated at 950 °C and activated with 4 M sulfuric acid (labeled as MF9S4) offered maximum esterification activity (92.8%) at 160 °C with a DDPO:methanol molar ratio of 1:60 and a 4-h reaction time. The influences of reaction parameters, such as the molar ratio of the reactants, alcohol chain length, temperature, time and the presence of glycerides and unsaponifiable matter, have also been investigated. Based on the catalytic results, esterification of DDPO using MF9S4 can be a cheaper alternative for production of sustainable fuels.