Underwatertimes.com News Service - August 18, 2011 18:02 EST

UL engineers have identified a novel source stock for biodiesel: alligator fat. Their findings appeared in the Journal of Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, published by American Chemical Society.

UL engineers have identified a novel source stock for biodiesel: alligator fat. Their findings appeared in the Journal of Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, published by American Chemical Society.

Researchers Srividya Ayalasomayajula, Ramalingam Subramaniam, August Gallo, Stephen Dufreche, Mark Zappi, and Rakesh Bajpai published data showing that oil extracted from alligator fat is easily converted into biodiesel, and that the oil is actually better for biodiesel production other animal fats, as the gatordiesel is similar to biodiesel from soybeans. The end product also meets most of the standards for high quality biodiesel.

Louisiana and Florida lead the US in the size of their alligator populations. Every year, the alligator meat processing industry disposes of about 15 million pounds of alligator fat, generally into landfills. The alligators are harvested from the wild and domestic alligator populations for their skin and meat.

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