The synthesis of biolubricants from renewable feedstocks is currently gaining attention. Over 95% of the market is comprised of lubricants made from petroleum. Due to their limited biodegradability and high eco-toxicity, lubricants generated from petroleum constitute a significant environmental hazard. As pollution levels increase and oil supplies decline, there is a rising need to develop biobased alternatives. Manufacturing cleaner fuel products will mitigate the negative environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming. Jatropha curcas seed oil is an efficient renewable feedstock for biolubricant synthesis. This study optimized the process variables on biodegradable lubricant basestock production from J. curcas seed oil. A central composite design was used to maximize the chemical interaction between J. curcas methyl ester and ethylene glycol (EG) as a polyol. A total of 20 experimental runs were done to examine reaction temperature, time, and the ethylene glycol to fatty acid methyl ester (EG-to-FAME) molar ratio. A statistical model indicated that the maximum conversion yield of jatropha biolubricant (JBL) would be 92.48% under the following optimum reaction conditions: 128.95°C, 202.40 min, and ethylene glycol to fatty acid methyl ester (EG-to-FAME) molar ratio of 3.87:1. At these optimum conditions, an average jatropha biolubricant (JBL) yield of 94.12% was achieved under experimental conditions, and this value was well within the range predicted (92.48%) by the model. The quadratic model predicted the biolubricant output (R² = 0.9919). The synthesized biolubricant met the requirements of Viscosity Grade 46 (ISO VG 46) set by the International Organization for Standardization.

Recently, biomass has shown its viability as an alternative to fossil fuels. Due to the growing trend in greenhouse gas emissions generated by the continual burning of fossil fuel products, it will be advantageous for humanity to seek a more sustainable and renewable source of energy. Due to its availability, biomass has a promising approach as a feedstock for bioconversion processes that produce energy, fuels, and other chemicals. The carbon dioxide generated by burning biomass has no influence on atmospheric carbon dioxide since it is derived from a renewable source. Despite these benefits, its adoption in bioconversion and biorefinery processes has traditionally been hindered by its recalcitrant nature, as indicated by its intrinsic characteristics. Prior to any conversion process, biomass must be pretreated to enhance product recovery. To satisfy the rising need for renewable and sustainable energy sources, the present conversion efficiency must be improved and the biorefinery concept must transition from using just one biomass component (cellulose) to utilizing the complete biomass component. This study examines numerous pretreatment procedures used prior to any conversion process, the challenges faced, and the future of biomass pretreatment technologies. Physical, hydrothermal, chemical, oxidation, biological, and hybrid pretreatment techniques are evaluated. The review indicates that the ideal approach to biomass pretreatment must be able to deal with the recalcitrant nature of biomass, enhance the crystallinity of cellulose, and provide the greatest recovery of biofuels, bio-char, sugars, and other industrially relevant bioproducts. The data offered in this study will equip readers with the knowledge necessary to effectively identify solutions to pretreatment problems and energy generation from pretreated biomass.

Wastewater discharged from the textile industry poses significant environmental and societal challenges due to the presence of hazardous dye pollutants. This study explores a novel approach for the removal of methylene blue, a common textile dye, from water using adsorbents derived from orange peels. The goal is to mitigate water pollution, thereby reducing harm to ecosystems and living organisms, while simultaneously addressing the issue of environmental litter generated by discarded orange peels. In this study, the removal of methylene blue dye from textile wastewater using adsorbents made from orange peels was examined. Orange peels were collected, washed, dried, charred at 500 °C, ground into powder, and activated with phosphoric acid to create an activated carbon with a bulk density of 0.987 g/mL, 15% moisture, 3% ash content, and a surface area of 52.5 m²/g. It was found that adsorption rates increased over time, reaching equilibrium after 120 minutes, with a maximum removal efficiency of 90% achieved using 0.6 g of adsorbent. The study concluded that orange peel-derived adsorbents could be an effective and eco-friendly method for reducing water pollution and repurposing agricultural waste, presenting a viable solution to the environmental challenges posed by the textile industry. Received: 27 November 2023 | Revised: 5 February 2024 | Accepted: 21 March 2024 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Kazeem Arowosaye Tajudeen: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Supervision, Project administration. Favour Okechi Ifeanyi-Nze: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing — original draft, Writing — review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration. Johnson Obasi Chukwu: Conceptualization, Validation, Investigation, Writing — review & editing. Olaoluwa John Adeleke: Formal analysis, Visualization. Nathaniel Nwoke Chimezie: Formal analysis, Data curation. Chukwudi Moses Ihezie: Resources. Muhideen Oyetunji Oyewole: Writing — review & editing. Chinecherem Favour Edeh: Supervision. Bethel Chijioke Iheanacho: Resources. Oluwakemi Oluwatobi Onabanjo: Methodology. Oluwafemi F. Olaiyapo: Validation. Chinemerem Jerry Chukwu: Validation. Adebola Barakat Quadri: Project administration. Rasheed Nurudeen Mobolaji: Writing — original draft. Rebecca Temitope Okunola: Data curation. Fon Alain Zoum: Formal analysis. Moses Godwin Udoisoh: Investigation. Dolapo Abidemi Kolapo: Visualization. Kasim Ismail Abdullahi: Formal analysis, Investigation.

The utilization of renewable biomass resources for biofuel production has gained widespread popularity as an effective means of converting waste into a valuable resource. This study investigated the optimization of biodiesel production from coconut oil (CO) using a bifunctional catalyst derived from crab shell and coconut shell. The catalyst underwent characterization through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller. The acid precursor for the bio-based bifunctional catalyst was created from carbonized and sulfurized coconut shell, while the base precursor was obtained from calcined and KOH-treated crab shell. The experimental design was optimized using Box-Behnken design for the simultaneous esterification and transesterification of CO. Response surface methodology was employed to model and optimize the process. Under the determined ideal conditions, which included a methanol to oil ratio of 16.75:1, a 1.00% catalyst loading, a temperature of 58.19 °C, and a reaction time of 78.76 minutes, a CO methyl ester yield of 85.73% was achieved under experimental conditions. This yield closely aligned with the predicted range of 85.84% as per the model. The resulting methyl ester (biodiesel) obtained under these optimized conditions exhibited physicochemical properties well within the requirements specified by ASTM D6751 set by the International Organization of Standardization.

The search for environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional fossil fuels has been intensified by the global shift toward sustainable energy sources. With over 95% of the fuel market dominated by petroleum-based products, concerns regarding their limited biodegradability and high eco-toxicity have been escalated. In response, there is a growing demand for biobased solutions that can mitigate pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, the synthesis of biodiesel from waste almond seed oil (WCO) was focused on, utilizing an innovative bifunctional catalyst derived from waste animal bones and almond shells. The efficacy of the catalyst synthesized from these unconventional materials was confirmed through rigorous characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) analysis. The physicochemical properties of WCO and the resulting biodiesel were evaluated according to ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards. To optimize the catalytic process, Box Behnken Design (BBD) was employed to explore the effects of key parameters: reaction temperature (40-60°C), reaction time (60-90 minutes), catalyst loading (0.5-1.5 wt%), and methanol-to-oil ratio (6:1-18:1). Remarkably, under optimal conditions, an impressive biodiesel yield of 86.2% was achieved. Specifically, the optimal parameters were a Methanol:Oil Ratio of 6.026, Catalyst Loading of 1.49917 wt%, Reaction Time of 66.8179 minutes, and Temperature of 59.9806°C. The potential of utilizing waste materials for sustainable biodiesel production is underscored by our findings. The bifunctional catalyst developed in this study represents a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional catalysts, contributing to cleaner fuel production methods.

Fossil fuels have posed a great danger to the existence of living things in the world, and pollution is wreaking havoc on the planet’s ecosystems. Global fuel consumption has risen precipitously because of urbanization, industrialization, and an ever-increasing human population. It has become necessary to consider alternatives to petroleum-based fuels such as diesel and gasoline considering our current overdependence on these traditional sources of energy. In this scenario, biodiesel presents an excellent opportunity. Biodiesel is highly replicable since it is made mostly from renewable resources, such as food and non-edible plants. Biodiesel cannot be used directly in engines because of its high viscosity. The relevant literature is categorized in this study. This research also tries to highlight the benefits of utilizing biodiesel and the advances made by researchers. Various articles about biodiesel fuel and its blends in diesel and engines were gathered and sorted depending on the blending techniques used (complete substitution without diesel or partial substitution). The use of biodiesel in engines and its ability to compete with fossil fuel diesel in performance were among the topics covered in this research. Biodiesel’s effect on engine performance and environmental impact will be examined in this article. The study reveals that B20 biodiesel will be a replacement for fossil fuel diesel as an alternate fuel. The results reveal that the brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) and brake thermal efficiency (BTE) for B20 biodiesel are identical to diesel and hence can serve as a potential alternative to petroleum-based fuels.