<div style="text-align: justify;">Biodiesel is one of the most important types of sustainable alternate bioenergy sources. In developing countries like India, where edible oils are in short supply non-edible plant oils are used as biodiesel feedstocks. In the present work an attempt was made to produce biodiesel from crude neem oil. Due to its high FFA content, neem oil was processed in two steps: acid pretreatment followed by base catalyzed transesterification. The optimum combination for reducing the FFA of crude neem oil to less than 1% after pretreatment was found to be 1.58%v/v H2SO4 acid catalyst, 0.63v/v methanol to oil ratio and 90 min reaction time at a reaction temperature of 60oC as compared to 0.23 v/v methanol to pretreated oil ratio and 23 min reaction time for transesterification. The maximum yield of biodiesel was 90.5%. The properties of produced biodiesel were found quite comparable to diesel and also met the ASTM standards.</div>

Process optimization of biodiesel production from Neem oil

<div>Background: Bambusa is one of the three largest genera of bamboo found in India. Physical properties have direct influence on mechanical properties of bamboo. This study was conducted to investigate the physical properties viz. moisture content, specific gravity, water absorption and dimensional shrinkage of some selected Bambusa species of Manipur in order to find their suitability for various end uses.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The culms were harvested at 30 cm above ground level. Each culm was divided into bottom, middle and top positions. Moisture content, specific gravity and dimensional shrinkage percentage were determined using Indian Standard Method IS 6874 (2008) while ASTM D 1034-72 method was used for water absorption test. 
 
Result: Moisture content and water absorption decreased with the increase in culm height whereas specific gravity increased from bottom towards the top portion in all selected eight Bambusa species. Dimensional shrinkage percentages exhibited an irregular pattern. Radial and tangential shrinkages were higher than longitudinal shrinkage. Analysis of variance of the physical properties among the Bambusa species exhibited significant variations at all height positions. B. kingiana is the most desirable among the selected Bambusa species due to comparatively higher specific gravity and low moisture content, water absorption capacity, dimensional shrinkage and T/R ratio.</div>

Process optimization of biodiesel production from Neem oil

Evaluation of Physical Properties of Some Selected Bambusa Species of Manipur