Seeds of Solution Parisa Footohi, Brett Johnson, Stephanie Guo, and Joanna Guo Camas High School, Camas, WA Introduction Fuel consumption is a major issue in this world as well as a key source of carbon dioxide emissions. We have found a solution for this ecological crisis. As students from Camas High School, we believe that Jatropha seeds are an efficient and green method of producing clean biodiesel. If we crush Jatropha seeds to extract oil, then we can create a greener energy source, because the result is a clean burning fuel. Starting in May, we plan to create our new biodiesel and test its potential release of energy. The main purpose of this experiment is to crush the seeds and test the usability of the end product. We suspect that, once the seed is crushed and boiled, the test results of the Jatropha oil will be equal to or superior than that of gasoline. During this experiment, the amount of Jatropha oil and gasoline will be our manipulated variables. We will make sure that the amount of gasoline and Jatropha oil is kept identical to ensure that the outcome, or the amount of calories burned by each, is comparable. Background Few experiments have been done on this topic because it is a relatively new idea. Most of the tests take place in India, where the conditions for the seeds are best. Jatropha curcas can grow in almost any region, even in harsh, sandy, stony, or saline soils (Lele, n.d.). The seeds need little care and can grow with only a minute amount of water, approximately ten inches per year. Furthermore, this plant can survive up to two years without water (“Jatropha curcas,” 2009). Oil accounts for approximately 25 to 30 percent of the seed (Lele, n.d.). ….. The main toxins in the Jatropha plant are the purgative oil that is found in the seed and curcin, which is primarily located in the seeds, fruit, and sap. Curcin is a phytotoxin and is highly toxic. The purgative oil contains some curcanoleic acid, which is similar to ricinoleic and crotonoleic acid, components in castor and croton oil (Begg & Gaskin, 1994). ….. Poisoning due to Jatropha has led to deaths through ingestion, but in most cases, the individuals survive, usually recovering within a 24-hour time period. Nonetheless, no antidote has been found (Begg & Gaskin, 1994). References Begg, J., & Gaskin, T. (1994). Jatropha curcas l.. Retrieved April 19, 2009, from 20%20%20%20Main%20risks%20and%20target%20organs (2009, April 7). Jatropha curcas. Retrieved April 14, 2009, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Web site: Lele, S. The cultivation of Jatropha curcas. Retrieved April 14, 2009, from Indian Biofuels Awareness Centre Web site: Soil to bio-diesel project report. Vadavalli, Coimbatore: Dawn Exports. Future What are we going to do now? Short Term We plan to conduct two more experiments within the next year to test the environmental effects of a Jatropha oil spill as well as the possible uses of Jatropha byproducts. The first experiment will detect any environmental ramifications due to the toxicity of the seeds. There will be three identical, miniature environments. An equal amount of Jatropha oil and soy biodiesel will be spilled on two of the boxes. The third box will be the control. After a period of weeks, we will test what kind of effect each fuel has on the environment. The second experiment will assess the uses of Jatropha cakes, which are renowned for their fertilizing capabilities. The “cakes” will be placed in one of three identical pre-made boxes that contains various plants. Another box will contain normal fertilizer, and the last will be a control containing neither fertilizer nor Jatropha cake. After a few months, we will determine which is the most effective based on the health and growth of the plant. Long term Using the greenhouses in Camas High School, we will grow Jatropha plants. Since they produce seeds in a reasonably short amount of time, we will be able obtain a large quantity of seeds from which we will be able to produce the Jatropha biodiesel. Next, we will compare the effectiveness of standard diesel to the effectiveness of Jatropha biodiesel in a vehicle. We will also aim to remove the toxins found in the seeds and improve the Jatropha oil’s safety and efficiency. This is possibly accomplished by using heat to eliminate the poisons. Acknowledgements We would like to thank Dawn Exporters for providing us with data and Jatropha seeds. We also give our appreciation to WSU for printing this poster. Data Comparison of Various Biofuels PropertyJatropha oil Jatropha biodiesel Biodiesel standard ASTM Biodiesel standard EN Viscosity(mm 2 /s) to to 5.0 Flash point (°C)2108.2>130>120 Pour point (°C) to 10- Calorific value (MJ/kg) to 40- Jatropha Seed composition