Published Paper Details:

Algae have emerged as one of the most promising sources for biodiesel production. Biological materials can be utilized for the production of energy by burning of biomass in the production of biofuels. The lipid and fatty acid elements of microalgae are converted to biodiesel via a transesterification reaction with methanol in the presence of a catalyst, to produce mono alkyl esters, which is generally known as biodiesel or fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). Biodiesel has gained much attention in recent years due to its eco-friendly nature, non-toxic characteristics, biodegradability and lower net carbon cycle compared to conventional diesel fuels. In the current study, carried out at laboratory-scale, potential algal species Chlorella vulgaris were collected from Kerala and employed as a feedstock for biodiesel production. The biofuel was determined to confirm the presence of biodiesel by Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectroscopy (GC MS), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC).