EXTRACTION OF BIO OIL FROM FUCUS VESICULOSUS AND CLADOPHORA GLOMERATA ALGAL SPECIES

Abstract

One of the difficulties of using algae produces of biofuels the development of an active and economically feasible process for oil extraction from these unicellular algae. Algae have a high fat content. In this study two types of algae were used, Fucus vesiculosus and Cladophora glomerata moss algae. Where these algae are collected from swamps and marine waters and left under sunlight to dry for a period of three days. A comparative study was conducted to extract fats from algae using Soxhlet where organic solvents were used in the separation process such as methanol and ethyl acetate. Methanol is used more often because it is cheap and has chemical and physical characteristic. We use the ethyl acetate to prove that not good for extraction. The extraction processes by using organic solvents in the Soxhlet device have shown promising results. Different ratios of solvent to algal weight were tested. The properties of bio oil also were characterized using FTIR and GC-MS spectroscopy methods. The maximum yield of bio oil obtained using C.glomerata and F.vesiculosus were 0.134 and 0.195 using methanol solvent.