Title:
Chemical Speciation and Extraction Selectivity of Biodiesel Particulates in Commercial Samples from the Brazilian Market
Author(s):
de Ruiter, R.M., Prates-Valério, P., Duarte Pasa, V.M.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
Particulate contamination in biodiesel affects fuel operability and is commonly evaluated through standardised filtration methods such as ASTM D7321, which quantify insoluble material but provide limited insight into its chemical nature and analytical representation. This study investigates particulate contamination in commercial biodiesel samples from the Brazilian market by chemically speciating retained solids and evaluating extraction selectivity during sample preparation. FTIR-ATR and HPLC-ELSD analyses were applied to characterise functional groups and differentiate compound classes associated with particulate formation, including steryl glucosides, saturated monoacylglycerides, glycerol-related species, and oxidation-derived compounds. Different extraction conditions, including solvent systems and energy inputs, yielded distinct recovery efficiencies and analytical profiles, indicating that extraction is selective rather than invariant. Methanol showed limited recovery and extract instability, whereas pyridine and IPA:Hex (isopropanol:hexane mixture, 5:4 v/v) provided improved recovery and analytical stability. The results indicate that particulate contamination in biodiesel is a multicausal phenomenon governed by interactions among chemically distinct species, while analytical interpretation is directly influenced by extraction selectivity. These findings support more robust analytical approaches for investigating fuel operability and contamination phenomena in complex biodiesel systems.
Keywords:
biodiesel, oxygenated compounds, quality, standardisation, filtration, chemical composition
Topic:
Biomass Conversion to Intermediate Bioenergy Carriers and Sustainable Biofuels
Subtopic:
Biofuels and renewable hydrocarbon biofuels
Event:
34th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
5AV.2.20
Pages:
802 - 804
ISBN:
978-88-89407-27-1
Paper DOI:
10.5071/34thEUBCE2026-5AV.2.20
Price:
FREE
