Two-Stage Optimization of Oleic Acid Esterification via Response Surface Methodology and Green Chemistry Metrics Selection for Biodiesel from WCO
Biodiesel production from used cooking oil (WCO) is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, but its high free fatty acid (FFA) content (>5 wt %) makes direct basic transesterification difficult. This study presents an integrated two-stage strategy that optimizes the acid esterification of oleic acid (the dominant...