Olaoluwa Ruth Obisesan¹, Abolanle Saheed Adekunle^1,, John Adekunle Oyedele Oyekunle^1,, Efere Martins Obuotor², Olatunji Seyi Ojo¹, Adedayo Muideen Sanni¹, Muib Adewale Akinyemi¹, Oyedare Mayowa Adesina¹

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.

transesterification, heterogeneous catalyst, bleaching, alkaline treatment, degumming