Environmental assessment on methyl ester production from palm feedstock: a case study

Noorazah Zolkarnain, . and Zulina Abd Maurad, . and Razmah Ghazali, . and Zainab Idris, . Environmental assessment on methyl ester production from palm feedstock: a case study. pp. 414-423. ISSN 1511-2780

Methyl esters derived from natural fats or oils can be used as alternatives to fatty acids in the production of a number of oleochemicals and their derivatives. Methyl esters are widely used as feedstock for production of other oleochemicals such as fatty alcohol alkanolamides methyl ester sulphonates isopropyl esters sucrose polyesters and many more. This Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study was conducted to identify the environmental impacts from the production of methyl ester using refined bleached and deodorised palm stearin (RBDPOs) feedstock through transesterification process. The results showed that the most significant impact categories from the production of methyl ester were fossil fuels respiratory inorganics and climate change. The main contributors to these impacts came from the production of RBDPOs methanol and steam. These environmental impacts/contributions may be reduced and improved if a green technology is implemented i.e. by replacing the existing sources of energy that are mainly used for boiler system and energy generation at plant (natural gas and electricity from grid) with renewable resources e.g. biomass that are abundantly available in the plantation. In addition bio-methanol may also be considered as an alternative source to replace the methanol from fossil origin in order to reduce the dependency on fossil materials in the future.

Full text available from: Official URL: http://jopr.mpob.gov.my/environmental-assessment-o...

Abstract

Methyl esters derived from natural fats or oils can be used as alternatives to fatty acids in the production of a number of oleochemicals and their derivatives. Methyl esters are widely used as feedstock for production of other oleochemicals such as fatty alcohol alkanolamides methyl ester sulphonates isopropyl esters sucrose polyesters and many more. This Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study was conducted to identify the environmental impacts from the production of methyl ester using refined bleached and deodorised palm stearin (RBDPOs) feedstock through transesterification process. The results showed that the most significant impact categories from the production of methyl ester were fossil fuels respiratory inorganics and climate change. The main contributors to these impacts came from the production of RBDPOs methanol and steam. These environmental impacts/contributions may be reduced and improved if a green technology is implemented i.e. by replacing the existing sources of energy that are mainly used for boiler system and energy generation at plant (natural gas and electricity from grid) with renewable resources e.g. biomass that are abundantly available in the plantation. In addition bio-methanol may also be considered as an alternative source to replace the methanol from fossil origin in order to reduce the dependency on fossil materials in the future.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	Esters
AGROVOC Term:	Environmental assessment
AGROVOC Term:	Life cycle analysis
AGROVOC Term:	Biomass
AGROVOC Term:	Biodiesel
AGROVOC Term:	Bioenergy
AGROVOC Term:	Oil palms
AGROVOC Term:	Raw materials
AGROVOC Term:	Seed germination
AGROVOC Term:	Fossils
Geographical Term:	Malaysia
Depositing User:	Ms. Suzila Mohamad Kasim
Last Modified:	28 Apr 2025 06:52
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/24142

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