**5.1 Vegetable oils**

### *5.1.1 Edible vegetable oils*

Resources of edible oil such as peanut [62], soybeans [63], sunflower [64], rapeseed [65], safflower, coconut and palm oil are extensively utilized for biodiesel production and are classified as first generation biofuels because these were the first crops used for production of biodiesel [66]. Many countries of the World such as USA, Malaysia and Germany, have well off plantations of these vegetable oils. Currently, more than 95% of the world biodiesels are produced from the edible oils where rapeseed oil contributes 84%, sunflower 13%, 1% palm oil, 2% soybean and others. However, economic and social problems such as food versus fuel crisis and various environmental issues (such as destruction of vital soil resources), usage and deforestation of the available arable land are adhere with use of edible oils.

**Figure 11.** *Feedstocks used for biodiesel production [61].*

*Feasibility of Biodiesel Production in Pakistan DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101967*

### *5.1.2 Non-edible vegetable oils*

Due to the presence of some toxic components in the non-edible vegetable oils, they are not suitable to be used for human food. The use of non-edible vegetable oil for the production of biodiesel would pave the ways to overcome the economic, social and environmental problems and tackle the energy crises worldwide [60]. Non-edible vegetable crops are grown on the lands that are largely unproductive, located in poverty-stricken areas and in degraded forests. These plants can also be planted on fallow lands, cultivator's field boundaries and in public land such as roads, railways and irrigation canals. Plants of non-edible feedstocks are well adapted to arid, semiarid conditions require low moisture and fertility. Moreover, these plants can grow and propagated through cutting or seeds [67]. As these plants oilsdo not compete with food therefore the seed cake may be used as fertilizers for soil enrichment. Therefore, from economic and social prospective, edible oils must be replaced by some suitable feedstock for biodiesel production. Hence, non-edible feedstocks for biodiesel production could be considered as sustainable and alternative fuels.

### *5.1.2.1 Mazari palm (*Nannorrhops ritchiana*)*

Mazari is the local name for dwarf palm (*Nannorrhops ritchiana*), belongs to the family of Arecaceae. It is a small gregarious, shrubby and tufted palm with blue-green to gray-green fan-like leaves having several stems growing slowly and connected to form a single base. It is one of the most versatile palms that can survive in intense winds, blazing heat and snowy cold with almost water-free environment. It is native to southwestern Asia, from Southeast of the Arabian Peninsula to east through Iran and Afghanistan to Pakistan. In Pakistan, it is mostly found on either side of Suleiman range in sandy soil depressions with the height ranging from 600 to 1100 m. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa it is found in Totakan, Jandia (Kalpani, District Mardan), Swat, Kohat, Anbar, Bannu, Kurram Agency, North and south Wazirizstan, Orakzai, DI Khan, in Punjab, KotAddu, Qasoor, Gujrat, in Balochistan Musa Khail, Loralai, Khuzdar, Harnai, etc. (**Figure 12**).

Mazarifibres are widely used for making ornamental products, ropes, mates, banns, different commodities for mosques, trays, baskets, grain bins, brooms, cupboards, hand fans and decoration pieces etc. (shown in **Figure 13**) [68, 69].

**Figure 12.** *Mazari palm seeds.*

**Figure 13.** *Different products of mazari palm.*

Fresh and dried leaves both are used for making products. Raw mazari production in the Pakistan is about 37,315 tons. Baluchistan is the biggest producer of the mazari with an average annual production of 27,265 tons [70]. In 1991, the total exports of the products prepared from mazari by rural people were 126 milion rupees. Main buyer of these products are the local people because most of the products are used for domestic purposes and also these fascinating products attract both domestics and international tourists. **Figure 14** shows the main buyer of the products.

The fruits of *Nannorrhops ritchiana* are edible. Young leaves of mazari palm are sweet in taste and used as laxative in livestock. It can be used for the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery as well as gastrointestinal diseases [72, 73]. Cytotoxic and

**Figure 14.** *Main buyer of mazari palm products [71].*

### *Feasibility of Biodiesel Production in Pakistan DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101967*

antifungal activities have been evaluated from the crude extracts of these plants. Fruits of mazari are orange to brown while seeds are brown in color. Recently, the seeds has been used for the extraction of oil that can be used for the biodiesel production by the process of Transesterification. The mazari palm seeds contain average oil content of 15%. Based on the data, mazari palm oil could be one of the potential feedstock for biodiesel in Pakistan to overcome the energy crisis and minimize the energy gap.
