Evaluation of a methodology of biodiesel purification: study of the contaminant removal capacity

ABSTRACTWe studied biodiesel purification based on the adsorption on rice husk ash (RHA) for the removal of biodiesel production contaminants; we examined biodiesel produced using soybean oil and alkaline transesterification with methanol and KOH. We carried out a detailed analytical study by adding known amounts of contaminants to a standard sample of biodiesel and purifying it afterward. The results were compared with acid washing and adsorption on Magnesol® (commercial magnesium silicate). RHA was equal or superior to Magnesol® and acid washing for removing biodiesel production contaminants.