Synthesis of biodiesel from Scenedesmus sp. by microwave and ultrasound assisted in situ transesterification using tungstated zirconia as a solid acid catalyst

• In situ transesterification from dried biomass of Scenedesmus sp. was studied.
• Microwave and sonication techniques were employed for process intensification.
• Tungstated zirconia (WO3/ZrO2) as a solid acid catalyst was used.
• Response surface methodology was used for process optimization.
• Sonication technique showed better biodiesel conversion than microwave technique.

Oleaginous Scenedesmus sp. was cultivated phototrophically in an open pond for biofuels production. The culture was harvested and subsequently dewatered and dried. The chemical properties of the Scenedesmus sp. lipids were determined as per standard ASTM methods. Biodiesel was synthesized by in situ transesterification from dried biomass using microwave and sonication techniques with tungstated zirconia (WO3/ZrO2) as a solid acid catalyst. In situ transesterification allowed minimizing the requirement of solvents by merging the two steps (i.e. extraction of lipid and conversion to biodiesel) to a single step. The use of a solid catalyst effectively reduces the purification cost of biodiesel due to ease of separation and potential for reuse. The conversion of Scenedesmus sp. lipids to biodiesel was determined by GC. Box–Behnken design was used for optimization of the variables to optimize the biodiesel yield and conversion. The efficiency of the two processes was compared.

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