Background: Residual oils were characterized according to their physicochemical properties, i.e. acidity, iodine value, peroxide value and saponification number, to evaluate the degradation level and viability for biodiesel production. Results: The methyl esters of fatty acids (FAME) from samples of residual bovine, chicken and soybean oils were quantified by using four transesterification methods, using acidic and basic catalysis and, gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Methods that used acidic catalysis at a lower temperature were the most efficient. Methyl biodiesel samples were synthesized by basic catalysis (KOH) for all quantified oils and the physicochemical properties of the biofuel were evaluated, i.e. viscosity, flash and... |