Page 151 - Biofuels Refining and Performance

134 Chapter Four

Figure 4.20 Prunus communis. (Photo courtesy of Gernot
Katzer [www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/pictures/prun_09.jpg].)

broadly divided into two types: bitter and sweet. Bitter almonds contain
amygdalin and an enzyme that causes its hydrolysis to glucose, ben-
zaldehyde, and hydrocyanic acid, making the fruit nonedible. The bitter
almond oil yield is around 40–45%, and sometimes as low as 20% [77,
178]. Major fatty acid composition of oil includes palmitic acid (7.5%),
stearic acid (1.8%), oleic acid (66.4%), and linoleic acid (23.5%) [178].

Main uses. Bitter almond press cake cannot be used for feed due to its
toxic components [179]. They are pressed at low temperatures, gener-
ally at about 30 C, to prevent destruction of the hydrolytic enzyme. The
press cake is then used for production of bitter almond oil [77]. Despite
the oil content and fatty acid composition, no references about the use
of bitter almond oil as a raw material to produce biodiesel have been
found so far.

4.6.3 Chaulmoogra oil
Crop description. Taraktogenos kurzii, Hydnocarpus wightiana, Oncoba
echinata (West Africa), and Carpotroche brasiliensis (Brazil)—commonly
known as chaulmoogra, chaulmugra, maroti, hydnocarpus, and gorli
seed—belong to the family Flacourtiaceae and grow in India, Sri Lanka,
Burma, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Uganda (see Fig. 4.21). The trees