Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Method for Monitoring Hydroprocessing of Vegetable Oils To Produce Hydrocarbon-Based Biofuel

A novel Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic method is reported, for the first time, to estimate the conversion of vegetable oil (soybean oil, for example) to hydrocarbon-based biofuel via hydroprocessing. The infrared peak attributed to the carboxyl group (O-C=O) is used as a marker to determine the conversion of fatty acid glycerides in soybean oil to hydrocarbons. Unlike the conventional gas chromatographic method, this new method of estimation is fast and requires no derivatization of the sample and predetermination of response factors of each chemical component in vegetable oil/product samples. H-1 and C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy techniques are also reported to substantiate and confirm the purity and product formation in the hydroprocessing reaction.