Feasibility of the Production of Argemone pleiacantha Ultrasound-Assisted Biodiesel for Temperate and Tropical Marginal Areas

The present work studies biofuel production using an American native species that belongs to the Argemone genus. It is considered a weed, and its presence extends from southern United States some areas of South America; pleiacantha, together with other same genus, known as “chicalote”. Oil physical chemical properties confirm chicalote oil effective raw material for production, presenting fatty acid composition similar soybean oil. A biodiesel study was carried out two methods synthesis, conventional ultrasound-assisted transesterification, employing molar ratio amount catalyst in both cases. Reaction time supplied energy during synthesis were compared batch mode. results revealed transesterification has significant advantages over one terms reaction savings produce methyl esters.