Sustainable biodiesel from Pyrus pashia seed oil using Sauromatum venosum-derived CdO nanoparticles

Abstract

Sustainable and cost-effective energy alternatives are necessary to tackle both greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel depletion Therefore, the use of biofuels as an alternative is most appropriate. This study explores the biodiesel synthesis from novel non-edible Pyrus pashia L. seed oil utilizing a cadmium oxide (CdO) as a novel phyto-derived solid nanocatalyst from Sauromatum venosum fruit a bio-based raw material, utilizing high-temperature furnace heating at 500 ◦C. CdO nanoparticles were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Optimal biodiesel production conditions were established using Response surface methodology (RSM) at a methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 9:1, a reaction temperature of 80 °C, a reaction time of 105 min, and a catalyst loading of 0.74 wt%, yielding 97.12 %. The synthesized biodiesel was analyzed using FT-IR spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The physicochemical analysis met European (EN 14214) and American (ASTM D 6751) biodiesel standards, with favorable properties such as density (0.87 kg/L), acid value (0.24 mg KOH/g), kinematic viscosity (3.4 and 5.0 cSt at 40 °C), flash point (90 °C), cloud point (9 °C), pour point (13 °C), and low sulfur content (0.004 wt%). The catalyst’s reusability was also examined after seven cycles, demonstrating a gradual decrease in efficiency. However, even in the seventh cycle, biodiesel production remained high at 86 % efficiency, demonstrating the approach’s potential for long-term biodiesel synthesis. The findings of this study led to the conclusion that non-conventional and non-edible oil seeds of Purus pashia, as well as green Sauromatum venosum-derived CdO nanocatalyst, are viable, low-cost, sustainable, and highly reactive contenders for the future biodiesel industry, with the potential to mitigate energy glitches while also improving the socioeconomic well-being of communities on a global scale.