Biodiesel production from Stauntonia chinensis seed oil (waste from food processing): Heterogeneous catalysis by modified calcite, biodiesel purification, and fuel properties

In the present research, the potential of Stauntonia chinensis (SC) seed oil obtained from processing waste was investigated for the first time as biodiesel feedstock, including physicochemical properties of the oil, the heterogeneous catalysis process, purification, and fuel properties. A 29.37 ± 0.64 wt.% of oil content and 2.41 mg KOH/g of acid value was found. Under the optimised reaction conditions in the presence of modified calcite, an 88.02% of yield and a 98.90 wt.% of FAME content were achieved. According to EN 14124 (2012), SC biodiesel exhibited superior fuel properties compared to the most of other feedstock oils since it had an ideal fatty acid composition (low Cn:0 (8.06 wt.%), high Cn:1 (80.16 wt.%), and low Cn:2,3 (8.45 wt.%)). It was absolutely vital that the use of SC seed oil as a biodiesel feedstock would not compete with its use in food. In summary, SC seed oil should be recommended as a promising feedstock for biodiesel.