Evaluating antioxidants efficiency during storage of ethylic and methylic biodiesel by low pressurized DSC and Rancimat methods

Efficiencies of four commercial antioxidants used during the storage of two biodiesel, BS-ethyl and BS-methyl, respectively obtained from soybean oil by ethylic and methylic routes, were evaluated by measuring their oxidative stability using a low pressurized DSC (low P-DSC) method developed by the authors and by Rancimat method, which is specified by the American ASTM D6751 and European EN 14214 standard methods. The operating temperature of the low P-DSC method was the same as that used in the Rancimat procedure (110 A degrees C). The antioxidants, used in 500 mg kg(-1) content, have the following active components: phenol, biphenol, phenol + amine mixture, and a hydroquinone + organic acid mixture. Samples of each biodiesel-antioxidant mixture were evaluated simultaneously by the two methods, right after their preparation and 30, 60, 90, and 120 days of storage at 23 +/- A 1 A degrees C. A non-dimensional oxidative induction time parameter, defined as the ratio between the oxidation induction time (OIT) or induction time (IT) values at a storage time t and at t = 0, was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity. For the same mixture, changes of this non-dimensional parameter calculated from OIT or IT show a similar trend with storage time, indicating that it can be determined either from low P-DSC or Rancimat method data. As the efficiency of the studied antioxidants depends on their composition, their interaction with each biodiesel, and on the storage time, this parameter can be used to indicate the best storage time for each antioxidant-biodiesel mixture.