Shraddha Upadhyay

Kinetics studies of synthesis of biodiesel from waste frying oil using a heterogeneous catalyst derived from snail shell

Waste frying oil was used to produce biodiesel using calcined snail shell as a heterogeneous base catalyst. Trans esterification reactions were carried out and the yield and conversion of the product were optimized by varying the methanol to oil molar ratio, catalyst amount, reaction temperature, and time. A biodiesel conversion of 99.58% was obtained with a yield of 87.28%. The reaction followed first order kinetics. The activation energy (E(A)) was 79kJ/mol and the frequency factor (A) was 2.98×10(10)min(-1). The fuel properties of the biodiesel were measured according to ASTM D 6751 and found to be within the specifications. Snail shell is a novel source for the production of heterogeneous base catalyst that can be successfully utilized for synthesis of biodiesel of high purity.

Kinetics of bio-filtration of trichloroethylene by methanotrophs in presence of methanol.

The biodegradation of TCE was studied in a laboratory scale biofilter packed with wood charcoal and inoculated with mixed culture of methanotrophs isolated from local soil. The removal efficiency was found to be higher than 90% up to an inlet load of 5.1g/m(3)h. The maximum elimination capacity was 6.7g/m(3)h at an inlet loading rate of 11.3g/m(3)h. The reaction constants EC(max,)K(s) and K(i) calculated from the experimental results are also presented. The biodegradation process is found to be inhibited at higher TCE concentration. The carbon dioxide production rate has been found to be a linear function of elimination capacity. The DNA finger printing techniques has indicated the presence of functionally active methanotrophic community including Methylocystis sp. in the biofilter.