PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND TOXICOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PARTICULATE EMISSIONS FROM STATIONARY ENGINE FUELED WITH ULTRA LOW SULFUR DIESEL AND WASTE COOKING OIL DERIVED BIODIESEL

Abstract

Biodiesel, chemically synthesized through transesterification of vegetable oils, has received considerable attention in recent times as an alternative fuel to diesel. Among the different types of biodiesel, the one made by the transesterification of waste cooking oil has added advantages over other types of biodiesel. One such advantage is the lower cost of raw material which makes it an economically viable option. Another advantage is that converting the waste cooking oil into useful biodiesel eliminates the problematic disposal of waste oil into the environment. However, till date very limited information is available in the literature on the physical, chemical and toxicological characteristics of fine particles (PM2.5) emitted from biodiesel in relation to those from diesel. In this doctoral thesis, a comparative assessment and characterization of PM2.5 emitted from a stationary diesel generator running on waste cooking oil derived biodiesel (WCOB), ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) and their blend (50% WCOB and 50% ULSD) was conducted. Physical and chemical properties of PM emissions from both the fuels and their blend were evaluated. Health risk associated with the particulate-bound elements was estimated based on the measured concentrations to assess the impact of inhalation exposure to WCOB and ULSD particulate emissions on adults and children. In addition, cytotoxic and genotoxic impacts of BEP were investigated using human lung epithelial cells (A549).