Jathropha Curcas: The New Bio-Diesel Source for the 21st Century
Department
Chemistry
Major
Chemical Engineering
Research Advisor
Seemamahannop, Rachadaporn, 1959-
Kapila, Shubhender
Advisor's Department
Chemistry
Funding Source
Bureau of Mines- Center for Environmental Science and Technology
Abstract
Developing alternatives to replace depleting fossil fuels has emerged as a pressing issue in the recent years. As a result attention is focused on non-food or feed crops, one potential crop is Jatropha curcas.
Jatropha curcas is a plant that grows in tropical regions and requires little water for growth thus conserving water and its beans are a good source of oil. The oil content of Jatropha bean is double the oil content of soybeans. Jatropha beans are not a suitable for food or feed because of the presence of toxins known as the phorbol esters. Biodiesel production can be made highly favorable if a process can be developed which render the protein rich Jatropha bean meal suitable as feed.
I am developing a process that would produce toxin free Jatropha meal and biodiesel. Results obtained show that a toxin free bio-diesel and Jatropha meal can be produced using a simple three step process that involve dehulling, sequential extraction and transesterification.
Biography
Danielle Bowles-Martin was born and raised in St. Louis, Mo. She grew up in the inner city and attended Gateway Institute of Gateway High School. Danielle is currently a sophomore where she is pursuing her undergraduate degrees in Chemical Engineering and Materials Engineering. Her future plans are to graduate from Missouri S&T and work with consumer goods or in the petroleum industry.
Research Category
Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Location
Upper Atrium/Hallway
Presentation Date
08 Apr 2009, 9:00 am - 11:45 am
Jathropha Curcas: The New Bio-Diesel Source for the 21st Century
Upper Atrium/Hallway
Developing alternatives to replace depleting fossil fuels has emerged as a pressing issue in the recent years. As a result attention is focused on non-food or feed crops, one potential crop is Jatropha curcas.
Jatropha curcas is a plant that grows in tropical regions and requires little water for growth thus conserving water and its beans are a good source of oil. The oil content of Jatropha bean is double the oil content of soybeans. Jatropha beans are not a suitable for food or feed because of the presence of toxins known as the phorbol esters. Biodiesel production can be made highly favorable if a process can be developed which render the protein rich Jatropha bean meal suitable as feed.
I am developing a process that would produce toxin free Jatropha meal and biodiesel. Results obtained show that a toxin free bio-diesel and Jatropha meal can be produced using a simple three step process that involve dehulling, sequential extraction and transesterification.
