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Fate of toxic phorbol esters in Jatropha curcas oil by a biodiesel fuel production process

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Abstract

Biodiesel fuel (BDF) is an important alternative fuel because of the carbon neutral nature of biomass and the exhaustion of fossil fuel resources. Jatropha curcas oil (JCO) produced from J. curcas seeds contains toxic phorbol esters that can cause cancer. The behaviors of toxic phorbol esters were investigated during BDF production. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and photodiode array analyses revealed that the phorbol esters contained in JCO had a tigliane skeleton. The partition coefficients of phorbol esters between methanol (MeOH) and the oil (KMeOH/oil) ranged from 2.4 to 20. As a result, the phorbol esters in the JCO were largely partitioned into the MeOH phase. The phorbol esters in the oil were converted stoichiometrically into phorbol and the corresponding fatty acid methyl esters via a transesterification reaction in a potassium hydroxide (KOH)/methanol (MeOH) solution. The phorbol produced predominantly partitioned into the glycerin phase. A small amount of phorbol residue contained in the BDF could be removed by washing with water. These results suggest that it is safe to use BDF produced by the aforementioned transesterification reaction and purification process. However, phorbol contamination of glycerin and wastewater from the production process should not be ignored.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for their support of the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) project titled “Multi-Beneficial Measure for Mitigation of Climate Change in Vietnam and Indochina Countries by the Cultivation-Production-Utilization of Biomass Energy.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1 Gakuen-cho, Naka-ku, Sakai-shi, Osaka, 599-8531, Japan

    Duong Huu Huy, Hanh Thi Ngoc Le & Norimichi Takenaka

  2. Faculty of Environmental Science, University of Science, Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City, 227 Nguyen Van Cu St., Dist. 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Duong Huu Huy & Le Tu Thanh

  3. Research Organization for University-Community Collaborations, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-2 Gakuen-cho, Naka-ku, Sakai-shi, Osaka, 599-8531, Japan

    Kiyoshi Imamura & Yasuaki Maeda

  4. Faculty of Chemistry, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, 19 Le Thanh Tong St., Hanoi, Vietnam

    Phuong Duc Luu & Boi Van Luu

  5. Danang Environmental Technology Center, Institute of Environmental Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Tran Dai Nghia Road, Ngu Hanh Son District, Da Nang, Vietnam

    Hoa Thi Truong

Authors
  1. Duong Huu Huy
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  2. Kiyoshi Imamura
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  3. Le Tu Thanh
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  4. Phuong Duc Luu
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  5. Hoa Thi Truong
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  6. Hanh Thi Ngoc Le
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  7. Boi Van Luu
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  8. Norimichi Takenaka
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  9. Yasuaki Maeda
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Correspondence to Kiyoshi Imamura.

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Huy, D.H., Imamura, K., Thanh, L.T. et al. Fate of toxic phorbol esters in Jatropha curcas oil by a biodiesel fuel production process. Clean Techn Environ Policy 18, 2305–2314 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-016-1149-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-016-1149-4

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