Pak. J. Bot., 41(1): 481-487, 2009. | Back to Contents | ||||
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Updated: 09-07-09 | ||||
INVESTIGATING POSSIBILITY OF USING LEAST DESIRABLE EDIBLE OIL OF ERUCA SATIVA L., IN BIO DIESEL PRODUCTION MOHAMMED H. CHAKRABARTI* AND RAFIQ AHMAD**
Abstract:
Eruca sativa
Miller of the family Brassicaceae is grown in West Asia and
Indo-Pakistan as poor quality oilseed crop at marginal land under poor
rainfall. Studies have shown that it is salt tolerant as well. When
crushed for oil, glucosinolates in the seeds are hydrolyzed by
myrosinase, yielding isothiocyanates which make the oil pungent. Due to
its bitterness, the oil has almost negligible value in the food market.
However, its fatty acid profile shows that it has the potential to be
used as an alternative fuel for the transport sector. In the present
study, its bio diesel was found possessing more or less similar storing,
handling and combustion properties as bio diesel formed from edible oils
of soya bean or canola. In addition, due to lower sulphur content, its
bio diesel is expected to be environment friendly in comparison to
petroleum based diesel fuel. *Department of Environmental Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi-75270, Pakistan. **Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan. |
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