Calcination of waste mussel shell used as catalyst in producing biodiesel

Calcium dioxide can catalyze soybean oil to obtain biodiesel in triglyceride transesterification. Waste mussel shells were utilized as a source of calcium oxide. The shell was calcined in N2 at 1000°C with optimum time of 2 h to obtain active CaO catalysts. Parametric studies have been investigated and perfect conditions were found to be methanol/oil mole ratio, 9∶1; catalyst amount, 4wt%; reaction temperature, 65°C; stirring rate of 450 round per minute; reaction time, constant 3h; methyl esters conversion above 98% . Reusability results improved that the prepared catalyst is able to be reemployed up to 9 times. These results indicate waste mussel shell combusted at high temperature can be reused in biodiesel production as a low cost catalyst.