Studies on Oil Extraction, Fatty Acids Profile and  Biodiesel Production from Syagrus Romanzoffiana

Most of the fuels that are used worldwide (natural gas, gasoil, fueloil) comes from fossil sources. These are non renewable energy sources, since the production rate is very much lower than the consumption rate. On the other hand, biofuels are produced from renewable energy sources like agricultural production, livestock, forestry and urban and industrial wastes. They have environmental advantages and offer the possibility of diversifying the supply sources. The main attraction of biofuels such as biodiesel and bioethanol is that the uptake of carbon dioxide during their growth balances the release of carbon dioxide when is combusted. It is also important that the biofuel production is sustainable and does not negatively impact on environmental quality. The life cycle assessment of biodiesel from different sources shows a positive balance.

Nowadays, most of the worldwide biofuels production is made with plants that come from edible species. Soybean, palm and canola in the case of biodiesel, and sugar cane and corn for the bioethanol production. For this reason, the main criticism to liquid biofuels is that they are made from edible feedstocks, competing in this way with the food production.

Thus, the present tendency is the study of non-traditional species with the aim of diversifying the productive scene with particular interest in regions that are considered marginal for the traditional agriculture.

Syagrus romanzoffiana (Arecaceae) is a palm that grows in South America. It is known as pindó, ybá pitá, yerivá, coquito, guariroba. It is an species that resists frosts, water stress and thermal amplitude.

In this research, pindó seed oil was investigated as a promising non-traditional species for preparation of biodiesel fuel. The maximum extraction of oil using hexane in a continuos Soxhlet extractor was 42 (wt) %.

For the evaluation of the biodiesel production, an alkaline transesterification at 60 º C was carried on, using different catalyst concentrations. The maximum yield production was 92 (wt) %. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the FAME showed the following fatty acid profile: Caprylic (8:0) 5 % Capric (10:0) 6 % Lauric (12:0) 35 % Myristic (14:0) 10 % Palmitic (16:0) 7 % Estearic (18:0) 5 % Oleic (18:1) 25% Linoleic (18:2) 7 %. Some properties of the biodiesel obtained from Syagrus romanzoffiana will be discussed based on this profile.