Seashore mallow (Kosteletzkya pentacarpos) as a salt-tolerant feedstock for production of biodiesel and ethanol

Seashore mallow (Kosteletzkya pentacarpos) is a non-invasive perennial nonclonal halophytic oilseed-producing dicot that was investigated as a feedstock for production of biodiesel from seeds and ethanol from residual stem biomass. Seashore mallow seeds contained 19.3 mass % oil, which after extraction with hexane and pretreatment with catalytic sulfuric acid was converted into methyl esters in 94 mass % yield utilizing homogenous base catalysis. The principal components identified were methyl linoleate (48.9%), palmitate (24.4%) and oleate (18.3%). Fuel properties were characterized and compared to biodiesel standards ASTM D6751 and EN 14214. Also investigated were blends with petrodiesel. Lastly, seashore mallow stems were rich in neutral carbohydrates (51.8 mass %). After simultaneous saccharification and fermentation employing a native Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strain, the stems provided ethanol and xylose yields of 104 g/kg and 47.8 g/kg, respectively. Of the four pretreatment methodologies explored, dilute ammonium hydroxide provided the highest yield of sugars. Published by Elsevier Ltd.