eng Science and Education Publishing American Journal of Food Science and Technology 2333-4835 2017-05-18 5 3 78 88 10.12691/ajfst-5-3-2 AJFST2017532 article Olaoluwa Ruth Obisesan 1 Abolanle Saheed Adekunle sadekpreto@gmail.com; oyekunle@oauife.edu.ng 1 John Adekunle Oyedele Oyekunle sadekpreto@gmail.com; oyekunle@oauife.edu.ng 1 Efere Martins Obuotor 2 Olatunji Seyi Ojo 2 Adedayo Muideen Sanni 2 Muib Adewale Akinyemi 2 Oyedare Mayowa Adesina 2 Department of Chemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, PMB 013, Ile-Ife, Nigeria Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria This study examined the effect of refining process on physicochemical properties of used vegetable oils from two restaurants in Ile-Ife Nigeria, and their biodiesel potential using biological and chemical based heterogeneous catalyst. The refining stages are degumming, alkaline treatment and bleaching. Physicochemical properties of both refined and the used oils were carried out using the AOAC methods. Transesterification of biodiesel was carried out using KOH and plantain peel as the catalyst, while the fuel properties of the biodiesel obtained were determined using ASTM methods. Results showed that the biodiesels obtained from the used vegetable oils using environmental friendly and readily available catalyst, were better substitute with cheap cost of production compared with biodiesel fuel produced from normal vegetable oils. Also, the refining processes showed that the refined oils have gained better industrial application with improved physicochemical properties after each refining stages. http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajfst/5/3/2/ajfst-5-3-2.pdf transesterification heterogeneous catalyst bleaching alkaline treatment degumming