Production of biodiesel by Cucumis Melo Var. inodorus seed oil using alkaline catalyst of sodium hydroxide and sodium methoxide

Cucumis melo var. Inodorus seed which has the potential in biodiesel production through transesterification process. The parameter conducted in this project was the reaction of time, the molar ratio of methanol to oil and the type of catalyst used. The optimum condition was obtained as reaction time of 60 minutes, the temperature of 60 °C, molar ratio reaction of 6:1 Methanol to oil, and catalyst of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) respectively. Besides, the best reaction time to producing a high yield of biodiesel is 180 minutes or 3 hours, the better molar ratio to producing biodiesel is a molar ratio of 9:1 methanol to oil, while the Sodium Methoxide gives a higher yield of biodiesel than Sodium Hydroxide.The determination of composition in the biodiesel was carried out using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS). Biodiesel composition of Cucumis melo var. inodorous seed oil by using the catalyst of Sodium hydroxide acquired from GC-MS resulted in the presence of 12,15-Octadecadienoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, Butyl 9,12-octadecadienoate, carotein, and cyclopropane butanoic acid while by using the catalyst of Sodium methoxide, contain 9, 11- octadecadienoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, 9, 12- octadecadienoic acid, butyl 9, 12- octadecadienoate, and supraene.