Chemistry of Biodiesel and Its Environmental Impact: A Review Article

Abstract

Biodiesel is a liquid obtained by chemical processes from vegetable oils or animal fats and an alcohol that can be used in diesel engines, alone or blended with diesel oil.  It is one   the fuels that are being considered as an alternative to fossil fuels. The chemical reaction for producing biodiesel known as transesterification. Biofuel can be monoalkyl esters of fatty acids produced from animal fats or vegetable oils by transesterification or other methods with small chain alcohols, using different kinds of catalysts and they are drawing increasingly attention throughout the world as substitutes for petroleum-derived transportation fuels to address energy cost, energy security and global warming concerns associated with liquid fossil fuels. As the technology used in the conversion of feedstock into biofuel is more advanced, the second and third generation biofuels are more useful in environmental protection by greenhouse gas emission.

Keywords: biodiesel, environment, transesterification