Fatty Acid Methyl Esters in B100 Biodiesel by Gas Chromatography (Modified EN 14103)

Significance of the Topic

Biodiesel production has grown due to environmental concerns and fossil fuel depletion. Profiling fatty acid methyl esters ensures feedstock quality and compliance with EN 14214 standards.

Objectives and Study Overview

This work presents the EN 14103 method for quantifying FAME and linolenic acid methyl ester content in biodiesel feedstock. A modified protocol using area percent based calculations and commercial standards is introduced to streamline sample preparation and data analysis.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The standard EN 14103 workflow uses a split injection on a polar capillary column and FID detection. Calibration is performed against methyl heptadecanoate with sample weight measurements and internal standard addition covering C14:0 to C24:1 FAMEs. The modified approach employs commercial FAME mixtures and reports results as area percent. Sample preparation is simplified by diluting 100 microliter biodiesel in 4 mL n heptane and injecting 1 microliter at a 50 to 1 split ratio under optimized temperature programs.

Main Results and Discussion

The EN 14103 method yields total FAME content above 90 percent and linolenic acid methyl ester between 1 and 15 percent by mass. Iodine value calculation based on individual methyl ester factors produced an example value of 113.3 g iodine per 100 g sample. The modified method demonstrated accurate peak identification and comparable results without reliance on sample weight.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Enhanced accuracy and reproducibility over the full boiling point range
• Reduced sample preparation time with area percent based quantitation
• Elimination of mass based calculations streamlines reporting
• Commercial standards improve peak assignment and calibration verification

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Advances may include integration of mass spectrometry for structural confirmation, automated high throughput GC systems for quality control labs, online monitoring of biodiesel production, and adaptation of methods to novel feedstocks such as waste oils and algae derived lipids.

Conclusion

Both the EN 14103 standard and the modified methodology reliably quantify FAME profiles in biodiesel feedstocks. The simplified protocol reduces complexity and improves throughput while meeting industry quality criteria.

Instrumentation Used

• Gas chromatograph PerkinElmer Clarus GC with split splitless injector
• Flame ionization detector
• Elite Famewax polar capillary column 30 m x 320 micrometer x 0.25 micrometer
• Carbowax 20 M column variant for modified method