(490j) Lipids From Alligator Fat and Production of Biodiesel

The alligator meat and hide processing industry produces significant quantities of fat tissue. This tissue is a lipid source available in Louisiana and other Southern states of USA. About 30-45% of this fat constitutes lipids. We report the production of biodiesel from lipids in the alligator fat in this presentation. The lipids were extracted from the fat using various methods like solvent extraction, rendering, modified rendering, and by direct fatty acid methyl ester synthesis. The composition of the fat was analyzed by using GC-MS after methylation of fatty acids; it was found to contain mostly C 16:0,C16:1,C18:0 and C18:1. The biodiesel was produced from lipids by using the traditional alkali-catalyzed transesterification with methanol. Characteristics of the Biodiesel will also be reported.