University of Plymouth researcher helps to find improved process for biodiesel production from waste

In the UK, a scientist from the University of Plymouth has played a key role in new research which has developed a powerful, low-cost method for recycling used cooking oil and agricultural waste into biodiesel, and turning food scraps and plastic rubbish into high-value products.

The method, outlined in a study published in Nature Catalysis, harnesses a new type of ultra-efficient catalyst that can make low-carbon biodiesel and other valuable complex molecules out of diverse, impure raw materials.

Waste cooking oil currently has to go through an energy-intensive cleaning process to be used in biodiesel, because commercial production methods can only handle pure feedstocks with 1-2% contaminants.

The new catalyst – developed by an international team led by RMIT University in Australia – is so tough it can make biodiesel from low-grade ingredients, known as feedstock, containing up to 50% contaminants.

It is also so efficient it could double the productivity of manufacturing processes for transforming rubbish like food scraps, microplastics and old tyres into high-value chemical precursors used to make anything from medicines and fertilisers to biodegradable packaging.