Extraction of oil from algae for biodiesel production, from Quetta, Pakistan

Abstract

The world is facing the energy crisesand environmental issues in this century due to increased industrialization and overuse of natural resourcesfor energy such as fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels generates greenhouse gases which aggravate the global warming. Researchers across theworld are focusing on renewable, less CO2and NOx emissions fuels. These fuels are important for sustainability and green economy. Biodiesel production from Algae is emerged as the promising alternativefuel, technically and environmentally acceptable andeasily available. In this study,different parameters of the oilextraction process from algae biomass were studied. Samples of algal speciesSpirogyra were collected from Chashma Achuzai,Quetta, Pakistan and employed as a feedstock for biodiesel production.Oil from macroalgae Spirogyra was extracted using n-Hexane as a solvent. Effects of n-Hexaneto oil ratio, size of algal biomass and contact time on the percentage yield ofextractedoilwas studied and analyzed. It was concludedthat maximum amount of oil was extracted from Spirogyra by using a greaterratio of solvent to algal biomass, maximum contact time, smaller algal biomass size.