ESTERIFICATION OF FATTY ACID FROM PALM OIL WASTE (SLUDGE OIL) BY USING ALUM CATALYST

Thamrin Usman (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Tanjungpura University, Jl. Ahmad Yani Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat 79124)
Lucy Ariany (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Tanjungpura University, Jl. Ahmad Yani Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat 79124)
Winda Rahmalia (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Tanjungpura University, Jl. Ahmad Yani Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat 79124)
Romi Advant (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Tanjungpura University, Jl. Ahmad Yani Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat 79124)

Indonesian Journal of Chemistry
Vol 9, No 3 (2009)

Esterification of fatty acids from palm oil waste (sludge oil) as biodiesel liquid base has been done by using alum [Al2(SO4)3.14H2O] catalyst. Some reaction variables like reaction time, catalyst quantity, and molar ratio of sample-reactant was applied for optimal reaction. Yield of 94.66% was obtained at reaction condition 65 °C, 5 h, sample-reactant ratio 1:20, and catalyst quantity 3% (w/w). GC-MS analysis request showed that composition of methyl esters biodiesel are methyl caproic (0.67%), methyl lauric (0.21%), methyl miristic (1.96%), methyl palmitic (49.52%), methyl oleic (41.51%), and methyl stearic (6.13%). Physical properties of synthesized product (viscosity, refraction index and density) are similar with those of commercial product.