GC–MS ANALYSIS OF Jatropha Curcas SEED OIL AND ETHANOL-DERIVED BIODIESEL PRODUCED USING GREEN-SYNTHESIZED MGO NANOCATALYST
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2026-1002-4346Keywords:
Jatropha curcas, Biodiesel, MgO nanocatalyst, Green synthesis, Transesterification, GC–MS, Fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs)Abstract
This study reports the extraction and GC–MS characterization of Jatropha curcas seed oil, as well as the analysis of biodiesel produced via ethanolysis using a green-synthesized magnesium oxide (MgO) nanocatalyst.. Seed oil obtained via solvent extraction and evaluated for key physicochemical properties. Biodiesel production was conducted via heterogeneous base-catalyzed transesterification employing plant-mediated MgO nanocatalyst. GC–MS profiling confirmed the successful conversion of triglycerides to fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) and allowed assessment of fuel-relevant quality parameters.. Major ester components identified included oleic (C18:1), linoleic (C18:2), palmitic (C16:0), and stearic (C18:0) esters, with the biodiesel exhibiting the same four FAEEs but in different concentrations, consistent with reported Jatropha fatty acid distributions. The MgO nanocatalyst delivered high catalytic efficiency, enabling substantial reduction or disappearance of triglyceride peaks and the emergence of the expected ester signals in the chromatograms, confirming effective transesterification. Physicochemical properties of both oil and biodiesel such as density, kinematic viscosity, acid value, and flash point, cloud point , pour point, met ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 specifications. Overall, the findings demonstrate the viability of converting non-edible Jatropha curcas oil into high-quality biodiesel using green-synthesized MgO nanoparticles, and reaffirm the reliability of GC–MS for compositional verification and fuel-quality assessment.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Kingsley E. Apuyor, Charles Otobrise, Stanley E. Apuyor, Augustine K. Asiagwu, Andrew O. Onofuevure
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