Production of biodiesel from waste shark liver oil for biofuel applications

In this study, production of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) from WSLO using both acid (H2SO4) and base (NaOH) catalysts were investigated using a Design of Experiments approach (response surface methodology). Due to the high levels of FFA (free fatty acids) homogeneous alkali-catalysed transesterification of WSLO was less effective than the acid-catalysed process, resulting in WSLO to FAME conversion of 12% after 60 min, with maximum FAME conversion of about 40% after 15 min. Acid-catalysed WSLO transesterification achieved 99% FAME conversion at 10.3 M ratio of methanol to WSLO, 6.5 h reaction time, 60 °C temperature, and 5.9 wt % of H2SO4 catalyst.