FAME
Chemical Testing

Testing for FAME – Fatty Acid Methyl Esters

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In this post, we answer the most commonly asked questions about testing for Fatty Acid Methyl Esters or FAME.

What are Methyl Esters used for?

Fatty acid methyl esters, also known as FAME, are a type of fatty acid ester that are derived by transesterification of fats, usually plant-based, with methanol. Their characteristics are closer to those of fossil diesel fuels opposed to pure vegetable oils, and are usually used to produce detergents, power generation fuel, and biodiesel.

How do you make Methyl Ester?

From a technical point of view, the creation of biodiesel is relatively simple. Methyl ester is normally produced from vegetable oils (i.e., rapeseed, sunflower, soybean, and palm oils), animal fats or waste cooking oils through transesterification, which is a reversible reaction. During this process, a glyceride reacts with an alcohol in the presence of a catalyst and forms a mixture of fatty acid esters and an alcohol.

Are Esters Toxic?

Some esters are used as flavoring agents, while other esters can irritate mucous membranes, but they are generally considered safe to use and have low toxicity.

Are Fatty Acid Methyl Esters Volatile?

FAME are considered volatile and can be analyzed with gas chromatography.

How Many types of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters are Present in Biodiesel?

The fatty acid profile of biodiesel is dependent on the parent oil or fat and typically only needs one fatty acid methyl ester present. The most common fatty esters contained in biodiesel are derived from palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid.

Which Detector is used to Quantify Fatty Acid Methyl Esters?

The detector of choice is usually gas chromatography (GC) or mass spectrometry (MS) for the analysis of FAME. GC has been effectively utilized for years for quantitative analysis, but the MS technique is mainly used for qualitative analysis of FAME.

What is the FAME Test Method for Testing Fatty Acid Methyl Esters?

Fatty acid profiling determines the quality of oilseeds and processed oil by identifying and quantifying the fatty acids present in a sample. It is identified by comparing their retention times with purified samples that have been pre-characterized.

What is a Transesterification Reaction?

A transesterification reaction is a process widely used in the conversion of oils or fats into fuel. It is defined as the reaction that occurs between an ester and an alcohol where the alkoxy group of the ester is replaced by alcohol and vice versa. The catalyst in these reactions is typically from acids or bases but is most commonly a reaction between an ester and an alcohol in the presence of an acid.

What is an Esterification Reaction?

Esterification is the general name for a chemical reaction where two reactants (typically an alcohol and an acid) form an ester. In this process, esters are formed by the condensation reaction, between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid, where two molecules join, produce a larger molecule, and eliminate a small molecule, which is normally water.

What is the Difference Between Esterification and Transesterification?

Though both processes are related to esters, esterification is the process used to produce an ester, while transesterification is used to modify esters through chemical reactions. Essentially, esterification includes an ester as the finished product, but transesterification includes an ester as the reactant.

How can Chem Service Analytical Standards Help Test for Fatty Acid Methyl Esters?

Chem Service is known for setting high purity standards for use as reference materials and for other laboratory purposes. Products are packaged in small quantities to minimize storage, waste and disposal requirements and are made available to meet a wide variety of specialized needs.

More than 95% of our Standards Grade materials have a certified purity of 98% or higher and do not require purity corrections when preparing solutions for national and international methods. Trust that our high purity standards are a quality product by contacting our seasoned staff and decades of experience by giving us a call today at (800) 452-9994!

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