Production of bio-gasoline from waste cooking oil and detailed investigation of vehicular performance and emission study

The conversion of used cooking oil (UCO) into renewable bio-gasoline provides a sustainable pathway for producing non‑oxygenated liquid fuels from waste feedstock. In this study, UCO was catalytically upgraded at 450 °C over a dual Zn-based zeolite system (Zn-ZSM-5 + H-Y), formulated by wet impregnation and operated under atmospheric pressure. The process achieved 91 % conversion with an 84 % liquid hydrocarbon yield, comprising 34 % gasoline-range and 54 % diesel-range fractions. The gasoline product was evaluated for key physicochemical properties which including calorific value, density, flash point, kinematic viscosity, and octane number, and subsequently blended with commercial gasoline. Vehicle emission and performance tests using a 10 % blend demonstrated CO, CO₂, NOₓ, and HC emissions that were comparable to or lower than those of conventional gasoline, confirming fuel compatibility. The aromatics-rich gasoline fraction exhibits potential for both petrochemical applications and blending with commercial fuels. While the catalytic route eliminates the need for hydrogen and offers environmental benefits such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation of UCO disposal issues, further studies are required to assess economic feasibility and scalability for commercial deployment.