Christian asks: > >Does it always form? And is heating and neutralizaing the >usual way of getting to it? >
FFAs ionize to some extent (i.e., they form soap) down to about pH 4.5, according to my expts. If you start with a collected glycerine phase at around pH 10, and your aim is to get it to neutrality, you wouldn't ever have to see the red oil. However, as you point out, the FFA/soap system is strongly buffered, so it's hard to get it precisely neutral. Much easier to overshoot to pH 4.5 (which breaks up all the creamy cottage cheese), and separate out the FFAs as red oil. Then the aqueous phase, no longer a buffer, can be brought back to pH 7 easily ( I like ammonia for that, since it adds nitrogen to the fertilizer you're making). Then you can, in good conscience, pour your neutral aqueous phase on the ground, and use your FFAs for.... .....something. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Stock for $4 and no minimums. FREE Money 2002. http://us.click.yahoo.com/orkH0C/n97DAA/ySSFAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
