Synthesis and Characterization of Watermelon Seed Oil (Citrullus lanatus) as Biodiesel Feedstock

Watermelon Seeds oil was extracted using two techniques: chemical Soxhlet extraction and mechanical pressing. The percentage yields were found to be 37.3% and 26.0%, respectively. The physicochemical properties of the oil were determined, and the following values were obtained: Peroxide value 6.78 Meq O2/kg, Saponification value 191.10 mg KOH/g, and iodine value 104.22/100g. According to the fatty acid profile, the oil contains approximately 70.5% unsaturated fatty acids, mainly represented in Linoleic acid and oleic acid, with percentages of 50.31%19.62%, respectively, and 29.5% saturated fatty acids