Egg shell waste as heterogeneous nanocatalyst for biodiesel production: Optimized by response surface methodology

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Eggshell waste is a significant byproduct of global hen egg consumption.
• Developing sustainable catalysts is crucial for environmentally friendly biofuel production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a heterogeneous calcium oxide (CaO) nanocatalyst from eggshell waste.
• To investigate its efficacy in the transesterification of dry biomass into biodiesel.
• To optimize reaction parameters for maximum biodiesel yield.

Main Methods:

• CaO nanocatalyst synthesized via calcination-hydration-dehydration.
• Characterization using XRD, SEM, TEM, BET, and TGA.
• Transesterification reaction optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM).
• Biodiesel yield and properties analyzed by NMR and standard compliance tests.

Main Results:

• Characterized CaO nanocatalyst with spherical morphology (75 nm) and high surface area (16.4 m²/g).
• Achieved 86.41% microalgal biodiesel yield under optimal conditions (1.7% catalyst, 3.6 h, 140.6 rpm).
• Biodiesel produced meets ASTMD6751 and EN14214 standards.

Conclusions:

• Eggshell-derived CaO nanocatalyst is effective for biodiesel production.
• The study demonstrates a viable route for waste valorization and sustainable biofuel synthesis.
• Optimized process offers high yield and environmentally compliant biodiesel.