QUALITY-CONTROL OF RAPESEED OIL METHYL-ESTERS BY DETERMINATION OF ACYL CONVERSION

A simple procedure for the evaluation of vegetable oil conversion to methyl esters of fatty acids has been developed. These methyl esters, prepared by the transesterification of vegetable oil with methanol, are used as alternative fuel for diesel engines. A method of gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) on packed columns is used to determine the conversion of acyls bound in acylglycerols to methyl esters. This procedure is based on comparison of the peak areas of methyl esters in fuel samples before and after reaction with an effective transesterification reagent, which will trans form unreacted acylglycerols to methyl esters. A correlation between the bound glycerol content, determined by the thin layer chromatography/flame-ionization detector method, and the acyl conversion, determined by GLC, is given. In acyl conversions to methyl esters over 96.0%, the bound glycerol content is less than 0.25% by weight.