Simultaneous Extraction and In-Situ Transesterification of <i>Chlorella</i> <i>vulgaris</i> Using Microwave-Assisted Method for Biodiesel Production

This research aims to study the simultaneous extraction and transesterification of Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) using microwave irradiation with methanol as solvent and potassium hydroxide (KOH) as catalyst. The microwave-assisted insitu transesterification of C. vulgaris is assessed at various ratios of biomass-to-methanol, reaction times, and catalyst concentrations during the centrifugation and evaporation process. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis is performed to confirm fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) composition. Biodiesel preparation is carried out by simultaneous extraction and transesterification of microalgae from C. vulgaris. The product is then characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H-1-NMR); microalgae are observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The highest amount of FAME is obtained at a biomass-to-methanol ratio of 1:12, reaction time of 40 min, and catalyst concentration of 2 wt%. Biodiesel shows conversion to about 77.64% of methyl ester (methyl myristate, methyl palmitoleate, methyl linoleate, methyl oleate, methyl arachidonate, and methyl 5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentanoate).